Abstract
There has been an outstanding progress of pharmaceutical treatment for bronchial asthma in these decades, which makes the control of asthma very easy. However, the effects of drug therapy are transient, and subside immediately after cessation of the therapy.
The clinical benefit of allergen immunotherapy is evident for pollen allergy or bee venom allergy. As for asthma, the symptom is not simply the result of IgE-allergen interaction, rather formed by complicated interaction of chronic inflammation of airway, viral infection, weather condition, exercise, psychological stress, etc. But the effect of immunotherapy for asthma is scientifically approved. Though the intensity to reduce asthmatic symptoms in short term is not prominent, the effects to reduce the dose of inhaled corticosteroid, or to prevent the progress from seasonal rhinitis to asthma are meaningful, especially in pediatric area. There is a tendency to avoid immunotherapy due to its risk to induce allergic reaction, and not popular especially in Japan, but we should keep interests in immunotherapy as the only radical treatment for allergic diseases.
