Long-term effect of monophosphoryl lipid A adjuvanted specific immunotherapy in patients with grass pollen allergy.

BACKGROUND

Ultra-short course pollen immunotherapy adjuvanted with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) is attractive to conventional allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT). Long term efficacy of MPL-AIT has not been evaluated.

METHODS

68 patients (age 16.75 ± 5.3 years) with allergic rhinitis to grass pollen were investigated. Group 1: 21 controls; Group 2: 19 after complete AIT, and Group 3: 28 with AIT and treatment cessation: 4 years range 3-6 years ago.

RESULTS

The clinical symptoms (running nose, sneezing, conjunctivitis and the weekly overall score) were significantly reduced in patients group 2 and 3 compared with controls without AIT p < 0.0001. T-regulatory cells and TH1/TH2 cytokine pattern did not differ between patient groups.

CONCLUSION

The patients in our trial with grass pollen allergy exhibited significant and long-lasting improvements after MPL-AIT, however larger trials are needed to support this finding.