ABSTRACT
Housing quality and affordability are well established as social determinants of health through direct and indirect mechanisms. Respiratory illnesses related to housing are nearly all the result of housing disrepair that allows intrusion into the home of environmental agents that are directly or indirectly associated with disease. Structural deficiencies such as leaks, cracks in the foundation or holes in the home's exterior can facilitate the presence of mould, which is causally linked to the development of asthma and is associated with exacerbation of asthma symptoms in children and adults. Indoor cleanliness can also contribute to the presence of mice and cockroaches. Proper ventilation can improve air quality, reducing exposure to PM, VOCs and infectious respiratory agents. Disparities in exposure to the housing conditions associated with respiratory disease are readily apparent across socioeconomic lines. Low-income families are less likely to be able to afford the costs of maintaining a home, which prevents them from making repairs that could improve respiratory health.Copyright © ERS 2023.
ABSTRACT
Background: In our country, allergen extracts (AEs) for house-dust mite (HDM) allergen immunotherapy (AIT), were provided by two companies which are Novohelisen Depot and Alutard SQ. During the Covid-19 pandemics, Novohelisen DepotHDM allergens could not be imported due to the unforeseen reasons. In order to ensure the continuity of AIT, consent obtained patients were treated with the AE of the other company. In this study, it was aimed to determine the frequencies of local and systemic side effects (SEs), clinical response, and the effect of AE change on these parameters during the Covid-19 pandemics. Method(s): 59 patients aged >= 5 years, followed up with the diagnosis of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) and/or allergic asthma, and clinically related HDM allergy were included in the study. Demographic data of the patients and SEs during the treatment were recorded from the onset of subcutaneous AIT (SCIT) until September 2021. A transition protocol was created in order to maintain maximum effectiveness and minimize potential SEs of AIT after AE switching. After thetransition protocol, the frequency of SEs, and symptoms and medication scores were recorded during each AIT visit. Result(s): Of 59 patients, 38 (64.4%) were male, 27 (45.7%) had ARC and 32 (54.2%) had both allergic asthma and ARC. Age at the onset of AIT was 12 (6-17) years, and duration of the treatment was 30 (8-48) months. In this study 29 patients received Alutard-SQ (group 1) and 30 patients, Novohelisen-Depot (group 2). 19 patients in group 2 switched to AE of Alutard SQ. During the treatment period, 1209 Novohelisen Depot and 1504 Alutard SQ injections were administered and a total of 140 (5.2%) local reactions (LRs), 50 (1.8%) large local reactions (LLRs), and 7 (0.25%) systemic reactions (SRs) were observed. In group 2, 61 (8.3%) LRs and 1 (0.13%) SR were observed before switching, 5 (1.4%) LRs and neither LLR nor SR were observed after switching. Adherence to SCIT has been increased from 49.1% to 79.6% and the decrease in symptom and medication scores in the pre-transition period continued after switching. Conclusion(s): During the Covid-19 pandemics, HDM AEs transition protocol was safe in terms of local and systemic side effects, and AIT was effective.
ABSTRACT
Background: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only treatment that cures allergic diseases. Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is a conventional treatment which introduced more than 100 years ago. Novel oral formulation sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has shown equal efficacy to SCIT, while it is safe without life-threatening allergic reaction. Amid a pandemic of COVID-19, patients are advised to avoid hospital visits. SLIT might be the right choice because patients can take the tablets at home and no need to go to the hospital for weekly injections like SCIT. However, no recent report on the efficacy of changing the route of immunotherapy from SCIT to SLIT. The study aims to assess the efficacy of switching SCIT to SLIT in patients with house dust mite (HDM) allergy. Method: A randomized controlled study was undertaken in 40 patients with allergic rhinitis with/without asthma and receiving maintenance phase of HDM SCIT (TCTR20200606002). HDM SLIT tablet was given daily for 12 weeks and compared to patients with continue SCIT. The principle outcome measure was symptom-medication score (SMS) and asthma control test (ACT) score. immunologic changes in fresh whole blood to monitor T cell subsets, including regulatory T cells (tregs), dysfunctional tregs, and T helper 2 cells were investigated by the flow cytometry method and Der p2-specific IgE, Der p2-specific IgG4 and Der p2-specific IgE/IgG4 were investigated by ELISA method at baseline and 12 weeks after switching treatment. Results: Of 40 patients, 19 patients in the SLIT group and 20 patients in the control group achieved the study. There were no significant differences in SMS and ACT scores between the SLIT group and SCIT group during 12 weeks of treatment. Significantly reduced SMS after 8 weeks compared to baseline (17.6 ± 2.9 to 14 ± 2.4, p = 0.028) was demonstrated in the patients with SLIT. T cell subsets' frequency, specific IgE, IgG4 and IgE/IgG4 ratio did not change significantly in both groups at the end of the study. No severe adverse drug reactions were reported.