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Meta-Analysis
. 2017 Dec;72(12):1825-1848.
doi: 10.1111/all.13208. Epub 2017 Jul 6.

Allergen immunotherapy for allergic asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

S Dhami  1 , A Kakourou  2 , F Asamoah  3 , I Agache  4 , S Lau  5 , M Jutel  6   7 , A Muraro  8 , G Roberts  9   10   11 , C A Akdis  12 , M Bonini  13 , O Cavkaytar  14   15 , B Flood  16 , P Gajdanowicz  6 , K Izuhara  17 , Ö Kalayci  18 , R Mosges  19 , O Palomares  20 , O Pfaar  21   22 , S Smolinska  6   7 , M Sokolowska  12 , M Asaria  23 , G Netuveli  24 , H Zaman  25 , A Akhlaq  26 , A Sheikh  27
Affiliations
Free article
Meta-Analysis

Allergen immunotherapy for allergic asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

S Dhami et al. Allergy. 2017 Dec.
Free article

Abstract

Background: To inform the development of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology's (EAACI) Guidelines on Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) for allergic asthma, we assessed the evidence on the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and safety of AIT.

Methods: We performed a systematic review, which involved searching nine databases. Studies were screened against predefined eligibility criteria and critically appraised using established instruments. Data were synthesized using random-effects meta-analyses.

Results: 98 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. Short-term symptom scores were reduced with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of -1.11 (95% CI -1.66, -0.56). This was robust to a prespecified sensitivity analyses, but there was evidence suggestive of publication bias. Short-term medication scores were reduced SMD -1.21 (95% CI -1.87, -0.54), again with evidence of potential publication bias. There was no reduction in short-term combined medication and symptom scores SMD 0.17 (95% CI -0.23, 0.58), but one study showed a beneficial long-term effect. For secondary outcomes, subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) improved quality of life and decreased allergen-specific airway hyperreactivity (AHR), but this was not the case for sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). There were no consistent effects on asthma control, exacerbations, lung function, and nonspecific AHR. AIT resulted in a modest increased risk of adverse events (AEs). Although relatively uncommon, systemic AEs were more frequent with SCIT; however no fatalities were reported. The limited evidence on cost-effectiveness was mainly available for sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) and this suggested that SLIT is likely to be cost-effective.

Conclusions: AIT can achieve substantial reductions in short-term symptom and medication scores in allergic asthma. It was however associated with a modest increased risk of systemic and local AEs. More data are needed in relation to secondary outcomes, longer-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.

Keywords: allergen immunotherapy; allergic asthma; cost-effectiveness; effectiveness; safety.

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