title: Long-term effects of a house dust mite sublingual immunotherapy tablet in an environmental exposure chamber trial.
abstract: Treatment with SQ house dust mite (HDM) sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablet is effective for HDM respiratory allergic disease, but data on long-term effects are lacking.
  
  
  
  Post hoc analyses were conducted to determine the long-term effect of SQ HDM SLIT-tablet on nasal, ocular, and cough symptoms 1 year after discontinuation of treatment.
  
  
  
  Study participants underwent environmental exposure chamber (EEC) challenges at baseline and week 24 in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial (NCT01644617) during which participants received daily 12 SQ-HDM, 6 SQ-HDM, or placebo for 24 weeks. Asthma had to be stable, well controlled, and nonsevere. The mean total asthma symptom score (TASS; sum of 3 symptoms: cough, wheeze, and dyspnea) during baseline and week 24 EEC challenge was analyzed in all participants who completed the trial (n = 106). Approximately 1 year after trial completion, another EEC challenge was conducted in a subset of participants (n = 51). Total nasal symptom score (sum of 4 symptoms), total ocular symptom score (sum of 2 symptoms), and cough were assessed.
  
  
  
  Compared with baseline and end-of-treatment values, sustained improvement of all symptoms assessed at the 1-year follow-up EEC challenge was evident in participants treated with 12 SQ-HDM. Results with 6 SQ-HDM were less notable. After 24 weeks of 12 SQ-HDM, TASS during EEC challenge was improved 65% vs baseline; at 1-year follow-up, cough was improved 57% vs baseline.
  
  
  
  Persistent improvement of nasal and ocular symptoms was observed up to 1 year after completing 24 weeks of 12 SQ-HDM treatment. Beneficial effects on cough were also observed.
  
  
  
  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT01644617.
authors.affiliation: Vienna Challenge Chamber, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zieglmayer
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co Inc, Kenilworth, New Jersey. Electronic address: hendrik.nolte@merck.com.
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.affiliation: National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado.
authors.forename: Harold S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Bernstein Allergy Group and University of Cincinnati Division of Immunology, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co Inc, Kenilworth, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Amarjot
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: ALK, Hørsholm, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jacobi
authors.affiliation: Vienna Challenge Chamber, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lemell
authors.affiliation: Vienna Challenge Chamber, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmutz
authors.affiliation: Vienna Challenge Chamber, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zieglmayer
authors.affiliation: Vienna Challenge Chamber, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Horak
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology*; D063729:Sublingual Immunotherapy; D013607:Tablets; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D013607:Tablets