Adherence issues related to sublingual immunotherapy as perceived by allergists

Objectives: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a viable alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy to treat allergic rhinitis and asthma, and is widely used in clinical practice in many European countries. The clinical efficacy of SLIT has been established in a number of clinical trials and meta-analyses. However, because SLIT is self-administered by patients without medical supervision, the degree of patient adherence with treatment is still a concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perception by allergists of issues related to SLIT adherence. Methods: We performed a questionnaire-based survey of 296 Italian allergists, based on the adherence issues known from previous studies. The perception of importance of each item was assessed by a VAS scale ranging from 0 to 10. Results: Patient perception of clinical efficacy was considered the most important factor (ranked 1 by 54% of allergists), followed by the possibility of reimbursement (ranked 1 by 34%), and by the absence of side effects (ranked 1 by 21%). Patient education, regular follow-up, and ease of use of SLIT were ranked first by less than 20% of allergists. Conclusion: These findings indicate that clinical efficacy, cost, and side effects are perceived as the major issues influencing patient adherence to SLIT, and that further improvement of adherence is likely to be achieved by improving the patient information provided by prescribers. © 2010 Scurati et al, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd

The Souls Travel with Horses

full vie

La cerimonia delle cose = The Ceremony of Things

"[Enzo Cucchi's] texts trace verbal drawings that lead us into the underworld of painting, into the subterranean world where art originates and where it returns; they describe the exceeding darkness and extreme brilliance of this world, and they are, in fact, the golden bough that allows Eneas into the Interpretation of signs in which art hides itself in order to reveal itself to him." -- p. 19

Il genio della meraviglia

Raccontare con immagini gli istanti di stupore: un viaggio nel lavoro fotografico di Jacques Henri Lartigu