Allergen Immunotherapy: History and Future Developments

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) was introduced in clinical practice more than 100 years ago. The clinical effectiveness in allergic rhinitis (and asthma) and in hymenoptera allergy was apparent early on but it was not until the mid-1900s that randomized placebo-controlled trials proved its efficacy. In the 1980s, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) was accepted in official guidelines. The availability of safer routes, such as SLIT, prompted increasing investigation of AIT for food allergy. The introduction of molecular-based diagnosis introduced the possibility of better targeted prescription of AIT. Other approaches are being explored, such as immunogenic peptides, recombinant allergens, and adjuvants

Local Nasal Specific Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis

The possibility of producing local hyposensitization by administering allergens via mucosal routes was envisaged at the beginning of 1900, and local nasal immunotherapy has been extensively studied since the 1970s. Presently, there are 21 randomized controlled trials being conducted with the most common allergens, consistently showing the clinical efficacy of local nasal immunotherapy for rhinitis. Other advantages are that it has an optimal safety profile and can be self-administered at home by the patient. Moreover, there are several data from animal models and from humans that confirm the immunomodulatory effect of intranasally administered antigens. On the other hand, local nasal immunotherapy seems to be effective only on rhinitis symptoms and requires a particular technique of administration. For these reasons, its clinical use is progressively declining in favour of the sublingual route although nasal immunotherapy is validated in official documents and remains a viable alternative to injection

Impact of rhinitis on airway inflammation: biological and therapeutic implications

There is increasing evidence for a close link between the upper and the lower respiratory tracts and the fact that rhinitis has an important impact on asthma. Several clinical and experimental observations suggest a similar immunopathology between the upper and lower airways in allergic subjects. The common inflammatory process that develops in the respiratory tract explains some of the complex interactions among different clinical diseases such as rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and viral infections. There are also non-inflammatory mechanisms that may contribute to the link between rhinitis and asthma. Moreover, the outcomes of various pharmacological treatments of rhinitis have recently provided further support for the hypothesis of the united airways. We discuss some of the recent observations on the nose-lung interaction and some of the novel therapeutic approaches used to treat rhinitis and asthma that arise from this

Potential of molecular based diagnostics and its impact on allergen immunotherapy

Molecular based in vitro technologies greatly changed the diagnostic approaches in allergy. At present, sensitization profiles can be dissected according to IgE subsets, which are specific for genuine or cross-reacting components and potentially dangerous or virtually harmless components. The identification of IgE in components with specific characteristics has a direct impact on the accuracy of the diagnosis (indeed, it is possible at present to not only identify the allergen derived from a given allergen source but also the family of molecules to which the patient is sensitized), on the prognosis of the patient's allergy, and on the prevention activities to be implemented. More interestingly, during the last few years, and thanks to the tools of molecular diagnostics, the indications for Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) have also be modified, and novel strategies for the selection of the allergens to be administered have been better defined. Indeed, protocols indicating how Molecular Based Diagnosis (MBD) can be used to identify the best AIT approach have been recently published. In this review, the rationale for the use of MBD tools is discussed, and the recent strategies for the choice of allergens to be used in AIT are reported

The WEB-based Asthma Control: An intriguing connection or a dangerous hazard?

Globally, an estimated 300 million people have asthma, presenting a considerable and increasing burden of disease for healthcare systems, families, and patients themselves. Despite two decades of guidelines, asthma seems to remain not optimally controlled in a substantial proportion of people. The achievement of asthma control is the result of the interaction among different variables concerning the disease pattern and patients' and physicians' knowledge and behavior. It is well known that adherence to treatment increases in parallel to patient education. There is now a growing interest in the use of digital information technologies to promote asthma control and improve outcomes. Mobile health, or mHealth, refers to mobile devices, medical sensors, and communication technologies that can enhance chronic disease care and monitoring. Aim of this review was to evaluate the web resources nowadays available and to analyze the published studies about the web-based instruments used to improve asthma knowledge, control asthma outcomes. In general, studies revealed that the technology is well accepted. Interactive asthma technology may be, in addition, of help in reaching populations difficult to reach, such as inner city populations. The number of tools and apps available continues to increase, and agencies such as the FDA, become involved in their regulation, thus the mHealth landscape will continue to evolve. Although asthma tools and apps have great potential to improve care for asthma, the proof of data reproducibility, the demonstration of effectiveness, and the privacy issues still represent the major technical problems

Patient engagement and patient support programs in allergy immunotherapy: A call to action for improving long-term adherence

Allergy immunotherapy (AIT) is acknowledged to produce beneficial mid- and long-term clinical and immunologic effects and increased quality of life in patients with allergic respiratory diseases (such as allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and allergic asthma). However, poor adherence to AIT (due to intentional and/or non-intentional factors) is still a barrier to achieving these benefits. There is an urgent need for patient support programs (PSPs) that encompass communication, educational and motivational components. In the field of AIT, a PSP should be capable of (1) improving adherence, (2) boosting patient engagement, (3) explaining how AIT differs from pharmacological allergy treatments; (4) increasing health literacy about chronic, progressive, immunoglobulin-E-mediated immune diseases, (5) helping the patient to understand and manage local or systemic adverse events, and (6) providing and/or predicting local data on aeroallergen levels. We reviewed the literature in this field and have identified a number of practical issues to be addressed when implementing a PSP for AIT: the measurement of adherence, the choice of technologies, reminders, communication channels and content, the use of "push" messaging and social networks, interactivity, and the involvement of caregivers and patient leaders. A key issue is "hi-tech" (i.e. approaches based mainly on information technology) vs. "hi-touch" (based mainly on interaction with humans, i.e. family members, patient mentors and healthcare professionals). We conclude that multistakeholder PSPs (combining patient-, provider and society-based actions) must now be developed and tested with a view to increasing adherence, efficacy and safety in the field of AIT

The perception of allergen-specific immunotherapy among pediatricians in the primary care setting

Background: Allergic respiratory diseases are constantly increasing in prevalence. Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) represent a valuable therapeutic tool as symptomatic and preventative approach, expecially in children. In Italy, primary care pediatricians (PCP) represent the first-line contact and interface for prescription, use and management of AIT. We attempted to evaluate the perception of AIT practice among PCP. Methods: A questionnaire was built-up, based on literature, guidelines and with the contribution of pediatricians. The questionnaire, including 12 items, was e-mailed to 180 PCP, randomly chosen from mailing lists. The questionnaire explored the personal perception of AIT, the comparison between subcutaneous and sublingual AIT and the overall awareness about the treatment. Results: 130 questionnaires were eligible for analysis. There was a satisfactory knowledge of the characteristics of AIT, its aims and limits, although the positioning of the treatment in guidelines was insufficiently known. Overall, the prescription of AIT made by other specialists was accepted and agreed (78 %). The majority of pediatricians felt that a more intense divulgation and information about AIT would be needed (90 %). Conclusion: AIT is in general well known and accepted among PCP, although a more intense divulgation effort is required

Mepolizumab in the management of severe eosinophilic asthma in adults: Current evidence and practical experience

Eosinophils represent approximately 1% of peripheral blood leukocytes in normal donors and their maturation and differentiation in the bone marrow are mainly regulated by interleukin (IL)-5 [Broughton et al. 2015]. IL-5, a cytokine that belongs to the \u3b2 common-chain family, together with IL-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), stimulates also the activation and survival of eosinophils and, to some extent, of basophils. IL-5 binds to a heterodimer receptor composed of the specific subunit IL-5R\u3b1 and a common subunit \u3b2c shared with IL-3 and GM-CSF. Human eosinophils express approximately a three-fold higher level of IL-5R\u3b1 compared with basophils. Major sources of IL-5 are T-helper 2 (Th2) cells, mast cells, CD34+ progenitor cells, invariant natural killer (NK) T-cells, group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), and eosinophils themselves. ILC2s control not only eosinophil number but also their circadian cycling through the production of IL-5

The patient with rhinitis in the pharmacy. A cross-sectional study in real life

In the practical management of allergic rhinitis (AR), pharmacists are usually the first-line contact, also because some medications are available as over the counter. Therefore, pharmacists may represent an important resource, in mediating the interaction between patients and physicians. We evaluated the clinical/demographic characteristics of patients with respiratory allergies who consulted their pharmacists as first-line contact. A patient-oriented questionnaire was developed by a scientific committee including pharmacists, GPs, allergists, pulmonologists and ENT specialists