Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis

Sublingual Immunotherapy Reduces Hay Fever Symptoms and Medication

Sep 27, 2009

Allergen Immunotherapy helps alleviate symptoms of hay fever and reduces medication needs. Sublingual immunotherapy is likely to be used more than traditional injections.

Allergen Immunotherapy has been available for some time to help alleviate symptoms in people with severe allergic rhinitis. This type of therapy can therefore reduce the person's need for medication to control symptoms. Traditionally immunotherapy was given by injection, but new sublingual immunotherapy products that dissolve under the tongue are likely to prove more popular.

Allergic Rhinitis Symptoms

Allergic Rhinitis is associated with inflammation of the nasal passages, a runny nose and itchy nose and eyes. The allergic reaction may be caused by pollen or fungal spores dispersed in the air. This type of allergic rhinitis is also known as hay fever, and usually occurs seasonally. Allergic rhinitis may occur at any time of year when allergy is caused by dust mites, mould and dander from animals.

Allergic Rhinitis Treatment

While avoidance of the allergen is the best method to prevent allergic rhinitis, this is not always possible. Therefore many sufferers resort to pharmacological therapy.

Allergic rhinitis treatments include nasal decongestants for short-term relief, as well as antihistamines, which relieve symptoms including runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes and ears. Antihistamines are relatively ineffective at treating nasal blockage; therefore intranasal corticosteroids are also employed. Often both an intranasal corticosteroid and an antihistamine is commonly used together to control all symptoms of allergic rhinitis. These treatments, however, only relieve the symptoms of allergy, and do not actually cure a patient of the condition.

One type of therapy that has the potential to treat the underlying cause of allergy is allergen immunotherapy. Allergen immunotherapy is not as well known as the above mentioned therapies, and is usually reserved for those patients with severe allergy who do not respond well to medication.

Allergen Immunotherapy

Allergen immunotherapy involves giving the patient increasing doses of allergenic extracts over time. This allows the patient to build a tolerance to the allergen. As such, the severity of symptoms reduces, as does the need for medication with the above mentioned products. Allergen immunotherapy can be very effective and long-lasting, and can also help protect against a person developing asthma.

Traditional allergen immunotherapy was administered by injection under the skin. Side effects that can occur with the injection include swelling at the injection site or a systemic reaction such as hives, sneezing, or congestion. More seriously, anaphylaxis is a possibility and can be life-threatening.

Sublingual Immunotherapy

New developments are in the pipeline that are focusing on providing patients with more user-friendly options, such as sublingual oral immunotherapy, also known as SLIT. Sublingual immunotherapy involves administering the allergen in the form of a pill, which is given under the tongue.

Grazax

One such product is Grazax, which is an immunotherapy for allergy to grass pollen. Grazax is a once-daily fast-dissolving tablet, which is to be taken at least four months before the start of the grass pollen season to achieve optimal results. Treatment should be continued all year round. Clinical trials have shown Grazax therapy can alleviate symptoms of allergic rhinitis, including sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, watery eyes, as well as nasal and ocular itching. In addition, there was a large reduction in the usage of medication to help control symptoms.

Oralair Grasses

A similar allergen immunotherapy is Oralair Grasses, which is a once-daily sublingual immunotherapy that is also started four months before the start of the pollen season and continued throughout the season; however, therapy with this product does not have to be continued between seasons.

Other sublingual immunotherapies are also under development for other allergens, including house dust mite and ragweed pollen.

Both Grazax and Oralair Grasses have been available in Europe for some years now, where both adults and children can use them. It is hoped that they will soon make it to North America, where further trials are underway investigating the products in the local environment. As more new patient-friendly options for allergen immunotherapy become available, it is likely this form of therapy for allergic rhinitis and hay fever will become more popular, helping sufferers control their symptoms over the long-term and reducing their need for treatment with medication.

The copyright of the article Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis in Hayfever/Spring Allergies is owned by Christine Redmond. Permission to republish Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.