Efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy with house dust mite extract in polyallergen sensitized patients with allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: It is suggested that polysensitized patients might not benefit from specific allergic rhinitis immunotherapy as much as monosensitized patients, although further research on this subject is needed.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with standardized house dust mite extract in monosensitized and polysensitized patients with allergic rhinitis.

METHODS: Patients who were sensitized to house dust mites and treated with SLIT for house dust mites for at least 1 year between November 2007 and March 2010 were studied. The monoallergen sensitized group was defined as patients who were sensitized to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and/or Dermatophagoides farinae (n = 70). The polyallergen sensitized group was defined as patients who were simultaneously sensitized to house dust mites and other allergens (n = 64). A standardized extract of house dust mites was used for immunotherapy. Antiallergic medication and the total nasal symptom score (TNSS), including rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal obstruction, and itchy nose, were evaluated before and 1 year after SLIT.

RESULTS: This study enrolled 134 patients. The TNSS improved significantly after SLIT in both groups, whereas the change in the TNSS did not differ significantly between the groups. The antiallergic medication scores also decreased significantly in both groups, but there was no significant difference between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS: In polysensitized allergic rhinitis patients, SLIT for D pteronyssinus and/or D farinae produced improvements in both nasal symptoms and rescue medication scores comparable to those in monosensitized patients, regardless of other positive allergens. SLIT for D pteronyssinus and/or D farinae should be considered in polysensitized allergic rhinitis patients.