Abstract
Abstract Objective Although systemic reactions (SRs) due to allergen immunotherapy (AIT) are rare, preventing them is a major concern for allergologists. Natural exposure during pollen season is a controversial risk factor, so some centers reduce AIT's maintenance dose in-season. The aim of this study was to examine whether administering the maintenance dose of subcutaneous AIT (SCIT) during pollen season, without adjustment, is safe. Patients and methods Initially, a retrospective pilot study was conducted, that included thirty-four monosensitized patients treated with perennial SCIT without in-season dose adjustment during maintenance. Pollen counts were monitored with a Burkard trap, to validate the pollen season. Two SRs were registered; one during and the other out of season, showing no seasonal effect on SCIT's safety. A ten-year-long, prospective study using the same SCIT protocol, followed the pilot one. Seventy-eight monosensitized patients, allergic to Grasses or Parietaria or Olive pollen, completed this study, while 28 monosensitized mite-allergic patients served as a control group. Only standardized depot solutions were used. Results A total of 2910 pollen-extracts maintenance-dose injections were administered. Four SRs (Grade 1 or 2, WAO Classification) were registered; 2/1210 during pollen season and 2/1700 off-season. One (Grade 4) reaction, out of 880 mite extract injections, was registered. The presence of SRs did not correlate with any AIT brand. Conclusion In our study population pollen season does not seem to be a risk factor for SRs for monosensitized allergic patients. SRs due to pollen AIT presented with a similar frequency as with mite AIT.
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