title: Allergic rhinitis: the eligible candidate to mite immunotherapy in the real world.
abstract: As standard drug treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) is not completely satisfactory, allergen immunotherapy (AIT) represents the only current treatment with the potential to modify the natural history. House dust mite (HDM) allergy is very common. The aim of the current experience was to describe the clinical profile of HDM-allergic patients with AR who received AIT in a real world model, such as allergy clinics. Globally, 239 patients (126 adults and 113 children; 107 females and 132 males; mean age 21 years, age range 6-56 years) were evaluated. AIT was prescribed in 59 patients (24.7%), 44 adults (35%) and 15 children (13.3%). The current findings deriving from this real world multicentre study are consistent with previous investigations on HDM-AIT and define some clinical characteristics of the eligible candidate to this treatment. In fact, severity of ocular-nasal symptoms and over-use of symptomatic medications may typify the ideal candidate to HDM-AIT and SLIT was the preferred choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (I.R.C.C.S.), Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino-IST, Largo R. Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciprandi
authors.affiliation: Scientific, Pharmacovigilance and Regulatory Department Stallergenes, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Natoli
authors.affiliation: Scientific, Pharmacovigilance and Regulatory Department Stallergenes, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puccinelli
authors.affiliation: Allergy/Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit, Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristoforo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Incorvaia
keywords: Allergen immunotherapy; Allergic rhinitis; Asthma; House dust mite allergy; Real life