Immunotherapy in the age of anti-IgE

Recent results of allergen immunotherapy research have continued to validate efficacy and have also demonstrated a truly preventive aspect for this treatment. This review summarizes the basic principles of effective allergen immunotherapy and highlights some of the advances that have been published in the past year. These studies show that allergen immunotherapy, when done appropriately and properly, not only causes a decrease in symptoms and use of medication as well as an improved quality of life, but that the progression of disease from allergic rhinitis to asthma is substantially decreased and the development of new allergies is diminished. In addition, laboratory studies continue to demonstrate significant changes in the immune system with a shift in the immune pathway from TH₂ toward a TH₁ response. The impact of anti-IgE as a therapeutic agent with allergen immunotherapy is also be reviewed.