Effect of Sublingual Specific Immunotherapy in Children With Persistent Allergic Asthma

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effects of sublingual Dermatophagoides Farinae drops 1-4 by sublingual specific immunotherapy ( SLIT ) in children with persistent allergic asthma. Methods The clinical data of 78 patients with mild to moderate persistent allergic asthmatic who had been treated by sublingual Dermatophagoides Farinae drops from January to August, 2011 in the department of pediatrics in Guangdong Women and Children's Hospital and received 26 weeks of follow-up. They were randomly divided into SLIT group (n=40) and control group (n=38) according to visiting sequence. Persistent allergic asthma diagnostic criteria was Children Bronchial Asthma Diagnosis and Prevention Guide. There had no significance difference between two groups among gender, average age, course and severity of persistent allergic asthma (P>0.05). Informed consent was obtained from the parents of each participating child. Treatment projects of SLIT group and control group were sublingual Dermatophagoides Farinae drops 1-4 combined with an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) budesonide aerosol, and an inhaled ICS budesonide aerosol (the same dosage as SLIT group) only, respectively. Analysis of asthma control test (ACT) score, dosage of budesonide aerosol, peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) in predicted percentage (%), and severe adverse events in two groups. Results After 26 weeks of the end of treatment, there had significance difference between two groups among ACT score, dosage of budesonide aerosol, PEFR in predicted percentage (P<0.05). There were no severe adverse events in both groups. Conclusions SLIT can obviously improve the clinical symptoms of children with persistent allergic asthma, decrease of ICS content, improve the quality of life of children. Key words: sublingual specific immunotherapy; asthma; child