ABSTRACT
Background: Allergen-specific immunotherapy[SIT] is a well established treatment option forpatients with allergic rhinitis with or withoutassociated asthma that can modify the allergicdisease process
Aim: To assess clinical efficacy ofimmunotherapy in patients presenting with pollenallergy
Study design: A cross sectional hospitalbased study
Settings and Duration: Conducted atAllergy Center, National Institute of Health [NIH],Islamabad during April - October 2011
Subjectsand Methods: 100 patients visiting the AllergyCenter, NIH with more than two years history ofrhinitis, sneezing, asthma of both genders wereincluded. All patients had positive skin prick test.Selected subjects were explained about the nature ofthe study and informed consent to participate in thestudy was taken from them. Information on commonclinical presentation, duration of allergy, duration ofvaccine use, change in disease attacks after vaccine,and quality of life was recorded on pre developedand pre tested questionnaire
Results: A total of100 patients were enrolled. 57 patients were foundto have allergy against grass, 33 against pollen treeand 53 wereallergic to weed. Common clinical symptoms weresneezing [93%], runny nose [90%] and wheezing[87%] followed by redness in 69% of cases.Majority 66 [65.3%] had positive family history forallergy while 34 [33.7%] did not. Time for whichpatients were on immunotherapy was 1, 2, and 3years where majority being on vaccine for one year.Before vaccine only 12 patients used to have lessacute and frequent attacks compared to 88 patientswho had severe attacks. After starting allergyvaccine 71 patients had complete relief with noacute attacks at all, however 05 patients startinghaving more frequent acute attacks than beforewhereas 24 patients reported having less attacks butnot complete relief. Quality of life in terms of day today activities and freedom to move out withouthaving acute symptoms was improved in 82% ofcases while 18% of the patients did not have suchimprovement
Conclusions: Immunotherapy servesto build up long term resistance against thesensitized allergen. Avoidance to allergen, use ofmedication and immunotherapy are the threeregimes employed to combat the disease