[Sublingual immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis and asthma in 2-5 year-old children sensitized to mites]

Abstract

Background: More than 10 years ago prick tests have been applied to children from the age of 12 months and a lot of them were given sublingual immunotherapy with significant acceptance from family and without undesirable reactions.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy in children.

Patients and methods: A clinical trial was done in 138 children with asthma or rhinitis and positive prick test to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. siboney and Blomia tropicalis. Randomly 69 received sublingual immunotherapy, applying two drops in growing concentrations of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 10,000 and 20,000 biological units. The concentration of 20,000 was left as maintenance till completes the scheme.

Results: Out of the 138 children included in the study 69, who received sublingual immunotherapy, showed a difference in variables in relation to control group, and the attendance to emergency services was lower in the study group than in the control one for a relative risk of 0.39 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.19, 0.81. Corticosteroid consumption was lower in patients treated for a relative risk of 0.37 and 95% confidence interval of 0.14, 0.79. Out of the 69 patients, 11 had mild (8.6%) and moderate (7.2%) adverse reactions.

Conclusions: 84% did not have any reaction, thus, sublingual immunotherapy with allergenic extracts of acarus is effective and safe in the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis.