2016 Volume 30 Issue 5 Pages 627-634
Background : Allergen-specific immunotherapy is the only therapy that can alter the natural course of allergic disease, and early childhood may offer favorable opportunities for early intervention with a higher chance to affect its natural history. However, in Japan, no study has reported on immunotherapy in early childhood. Here, we report the safety and efficacy of rush immunotherapy with house dust extract for Japanese young children. Methods : This was a non-interventional, retrospective study performed on young patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). We included patients aged 3-5 years at the beginning of subcutaneous immunotherapy, in the younger group (12 patients), and those aged 6-15 years in the older group (27 patients). The safety of the treatment was assessed by the rate of systemic reaction. The efficacy of treatment was assessed by the reduction rate of AR symptom-medication score over 12 months of therapy. Result : The baseline symptom-medication score of the older group was higher than that of the younger group. There were no significant differences between both the two groups with respect to the systemic reaction rate and reduction rate of AR symptom-medication score. Conclusion : This study found that rush immunotherapy with house dust extract had the same level of safety and efficacy among children in younger age group as among those in older age group.
