AUTHOR=Zhang Ai-zhi , Liang Mei-e , Chen Xiao-xue , Wang Yan-fen , Ma Ke , Lin Zhi , Xue Kuan-kuan , Cao Li-ru , Yang Rong , Zhang Huan-ping 

TITLE=Clinical Evaluation for Sublingual Immunotherapy With Dermatophagoides farinae in Polysensitized Allergic Asthma Patients

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.645356

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2021.645356

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Many studies have demonstrated the efficacy of single-allergen sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in polysensitized patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), but less is reported in polysensitized patients with allergic asthma (AS).</p><p><bold>Method:</bold> Data of 133 adult patients with house dust mite (HDM)-induced AS who had been treated for 3 years were collected. These patients were divided into the control group (treated with low to moderate dose of inhaled glucocorticoids and long-acting β2 agonists, <italic>n</italic> = 37) and the SLIT group (further treated with <italic>Dermatophagoides farinae</italic> drops, <italic>n</italic> = 96). The SLIT group contained three subgroups: the single-allergen group (only sensitized to HDM, <italic>n</italic> = 35), the 1- to 2-allergen group (HDM combined with one to two other allergens, <italic>n</italic> = 32), and the 3-or-more-allergen group (HDM combined with three or more other allergens, <italic>n</italic> = 29). The total asthma symptom score (TASS), total asthma medicine score (TAMS), and asthma control test (ACT) were assessed before treatment and at yearly visits. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) was assessed before treatment and at the end of SLIT.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> TASS and ACT scores in the control group were significantly higher than that in the single-allergen group and the 1- to 2-allergen group after 1, 2, and 3 years of SLIT and significantly higher than that in the 3-or-more-allergen group after 3-year SLIT (all <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). TAMS of the control group was significantly higher than that of the other three groups after 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 years of SLIT (all <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). FEV1/FVC in the control group was significantly higher than baseline after 3 years of immunotherapy (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Patients sensitized to HDM with/without other allergens showed similar efficacy after 3 years of SLIT. However, the initial response of patients with three or more allergens was slower during immunotherapy process.</p>