Safety of ultrarush allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy in children with allergic disease

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Ultrarush immunotherapy (ultra-RIT) is more convenient and higher compliant than conventional immunotherapy, but it has rarely used in clinical practice due to severe systemic reactions. This study aimed to determine the safety of ultra-RIT in children and adolescents. METHODS: We investigated 19 patients who received ultra-RIT with the same schedule between January 2011 and May 2016. They were sensitized to house dust mites (HDMs) and/or pollen and had their symptoms associated with positive allergens. Over a 1-day hospitalization period, all patients received ultra-RIT subcutaneously 3 times, increasing at hourly intervals. Systemic reactions were classified according to the World Allergy Organization grade system. RESULTS: Systemic reactions occurred in 14 patients (73.7%). The mean time to adverse reactions after the last injection was 36 minutes, and the majority of systemic reactions were pruritus and urticaria. In addition, the injection of HDM alone or HDM plus pollen caused more than grade 2 systemic reactions in about 50% each of the patients. CONCLUSION: Since ultra-RIT caused a higher incidence of systemic reactions in children and adolescents, it should be carried out cautiously in the hospitalization rather than the office.