Side Reactions of Immunotherapy in Allergic Rhinitis Patients

Eun, Young Gyu; Kim, Sung Wan; Yeo, Seung Geun; Kim, Myung Gu; Cho, Joong Saeng

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
It has become increasingly clear that immunotherapy with a specific aeroallergen extract is an effective treatment for allergic rhinitis. The fear of side reactions has led to strict regulation preventing a more widespread use of specific immunotherapy. The aim of this study is to investigate incidence of local and systemic side reactions in patients who received immunotherapy. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Subjects were 139 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. All patients with allergic rhinitis were diagnosed by history and positive allergic skin test or MAST. All patients received injections of Dermatophagoides farinae or cockroach extracts. Retrospective study was conducted to investigate the incidence of local and systemic side reactions. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients (71.2%) experienced more than a side reaction. Eighty-seven patients (62.6%) experienced local side reactions and 41 patients (29.5%) experienced systemic reactions. The frequency of side reaction in each age group was different but not statistically significant. The side reactions were developed in 66.8% of patients during buildup phase and in 42.4% of patients during maintenance phase. All patients who experienced systemic reactions were recovered after appropriate managements. CONCLUSION: Immunotherapy is a relatively safe treatment for allergic rhinitis patients in spite of frequent reaction rate, because most of reactions are local reactions and patients with systemic reactions are treated completely.