Specific allergen immunotherapy – comparison between allergoids and allergen vaccines. A real-life study

Introduction:
Specific allergen immunotherapy (SIT) is a disease-modifying approach in allergic rhinitis treatment.

Aim:
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerance of the allergoids and allergen vaccines and pre-seasonal and perennial scheme of treatments. Secondly, we wanted to compare the influence of adverse events on the compliance and the patient’s willingness to continue the therapy. Also we wanted to assess the relationship between the compliance, and the efficacy and tolerance of the treatment.

Material and methods:
A retrospective observational study based on the original self-developed questionnaire was administered to 53 physicians, who use specific allergen immunotherapy in their daily practice. For this study a randomly selected group of patients, who had been treated with immunotherapy within the last 5 years, were selected.

Results:
This study showed high effectiveness and tolerance of SIT in the first year, which increased up to the 3^rd year after its administration, regardless of the approach used (allergoid/allergen extract), therapy scheme (perennial/pre-seasonal) and status (finished/unfinished), sex or the willingness to continue the therapy. Furthermore, sufficient patient-physician cooperation significantly (p = 0.003) increased SIT efficacy. There was a weak relationship (r = 0.339, p < 0.05) between the willingness to continue the therapy and the level of patient-physician cooperation. Finally, there was a strong relationship between SIT efficacy and tolerance after the 1^st (r = 0.591, p < 0.05), 2^nd (r = 0.675, p < 0.05) and 3^rd (r = 0.797, p < 0.05) year after its first administration.

Conclusions:
Specific immunotherapy is a highly effective and safe method that allows for a significant reduction of allergy symptoms and reduction/discontinuation of symptomatic treatment. The better the cooperation between the physician and the patient from the first year of its administration, the higher the effectiveness of immunotherapy and the greater the willingness to continue immunotherapy.