Predictors of early clinical response to allergen-specific immunotherapy in patients with respiratory allergies

Introduction
Variations in the response to allergen immunotherapy are significant among patients. Since allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is long-lasting, having a marker that can predict allergen immunotherapy responders is highly important. In this study, we utilized the clinical parameters to investigate predictors for early AIT responders.


Patients and methods
This Ex Post facto study included patients suffering from allergic airway diseases attending our allergen immunotherapy clinic. Age, sex, diagnosis, sensitization pattern, route of immunotherapy, complication, and assessment scores were recorded.


Results

There was a significant association between mould and pollen sensitization and the onset of improvement (
P
=0.04 and 0.05, respectively). No significant associations were found between other sensitization patterns, sex, diagnosis, local reaction, and route of AIT administration concerning the onset of improvement.



Conclusion
Pollen sensitization could predict early AIT responders. Patients with severe respiratory allergies and mould sensitization took longer to show improvement after starting AIT.