Is Allergen Immunotherapy in Children Disease Modifying? A Review of the Evidence

Purpose of Review Although evidence supports a beneficial effect of allergen immunotherapy on the symptoms of allergic respiratory disease and food allergy, it is not clear whether immunotherapy modifies the natural history of these conditions. Recent Findings In aeroallergen immunotherapy, studies...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current allergy and asthma reports 2018-09, Vol.18 (9), p.47-12, Article 47
Main Authors: Rudman Spergel, Amanda K., Minnicozzi, Michael, Wheatley, Lisa M., Togias, Alkis
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allergens - administration & dosage
Allergies
Allergology
Asthma
Asthma - therapy
Child
Desensitization, Immunologic - methods
Food allergies
Food Hypersensitivity - therapy
Humans
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy and Immunomodulators (B Vickery
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Section Editor
Topical Collection on Immunotherapy and Immunomodulators
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Summary:Purpose of Review Although evidence supports a beneficial effect of allergen immunotherapy on the symptoms of allergic respiratory disease and food allergy, it is not clear whether immunotherapy modifies the natural history of these conditions. Recent Findings In aeroallergen immunotherapy, studies suggest that prevention of asthma can be attained. Less evident is the ability of immunotherapy to prevent new allergen sensitizations and more studies are needed to test whether immunotherapy can continue suppressing airway symptoms after treatment discontinuation. In food allergen immunotherapy, there is evidence that unresponsiveness to a food challenge can be sustained in some treatment recipients, but little knowledge exists as to the dose and duration of treatment that can optimize this effect. Summary Suggestive evidence exists that allergen immunotherapy can modify allergic disease in children, but definitive studies are lacking. More research in the field is required.
ISSN:1529-7322
1534-6315
DOI:10.1007/s11882-018-0801-y