Safety,tolerability and clinical efficacy of ultra-rush sublingual immunotherapy among patients suffering from allergic rhinitis

BackgroundConventional immunotherapy for allergy with 3–5 years of treatment period has poor compliance. Ultra-rush sublingual immunotherapy with a shorter period of treatment can have better compliance. There are very few studies on ultra-rush sublingual immunotherapy all over the world.Objectives(1) To determine allergen sensitivity among allergic rhinitis patients. (2) To assess safety, tolerability and clinical efficacy of ultra-rush sublingual immunotherapy.MethodsThe present study was conducted in Allergy clinic, KIMS Hospital & Research Centre, Bangalore, India from January 2010 to June 2011. After obtaining Institutional Ethics Committee approval, 40 allergic rhinitis patients (according to ARIA guidelines) in the 18–60 years age group who were positive for aeroallergens in skin prick test were recruited for ultra-rush sublingual immunotherapy (20 min initial phase and 4-month maintenance phase) and followed for 8 months with symptom and treatment diary.ResultsOut of 40 patients, the majority, 36 (90.00%) patients were sensitive to house dust mites. Six patients had seven immediate adverse reactions and seven patients had eight delayed adverse reactions. All subsided without medication or with symptomatic oral medications. All patients tolerated ultra-rush SLIT and there was significant decrease in both symptom-score and treatment received in these patients.ConclusionUltra-rush SLIT regimen has excellent safety, tolerability and clinical efficacy among allergic rhinitis patients.