Assessment of SLIT efficacy in children by FeNO

Abstract

Background: Although the sublingual allergen specific immunotherapy (SLIT) has been of great scientific interest for the last decades, we are still looking for a good feasible parameter in the assessment of clinical efficacy, apart of the conventional methods such as peak flow measurement, spirometry and symptom assessments (clinical scores). Recent data showed that the evaluation of the level of FeNO during the SLIT can correlate with the clinical efficacy of SLIT. There are few studies investigating FeNO in children under SLIT. The aim of our study was to evaluate the level of FeNO in children on SLIT. Methods: To evaluate the efficacy of SLIT we enrolled 34 children (mean age 13.8) with rhinitis and asthma. They received SLIT for two years. The level of FeNO was measured at the beginning (FeNO1), after six months (FeNO2) and after two years of SLIT(FeNO3). Results: The level of FeNO decreased significantly in all three measurements during SLIT (X2=52,220; p<0,001). During the follow up period we observed significant reduction between FeNO1 and FeNO2 (p<0,001). Throughout the treatment period there was a sustained still significant reduction between FeNO2 and FeNO3. Max value for FeNO1 was 111ppb, while MaxFeNO2 and FeNO3 were 78ppb and 56ppb) consecutively. | FeNO (ppb) | N | Mean value (ppb) | SD | Median (ppb) | Min (ppb) | Max (ppb) | || | FeNO1 | 34 | 60.65 | 20.467 | 56.00 | 31 | 111 | | FeNO2 | 34 | 43.18 | 8.990 | 43.00 | 31 | 78 | | FeNO3 | 34 | 34.15 | 6.985 | 32.00 | 22 | 56 | Conclusions: Results from our study suggest that FeNO may be additional, useful noninvasive tool for the assessment of both clinical and immunological response in patients under the SLIT.