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A Prospective Study on the Safety of Immunotherapy in Children with Severe Asthma
Author(s) -
Aa. Østergaard P.,
Kaad P. H.,
Kristensen T.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1986.tb00351.x
Subject(s) - medicine , asthma , prospective cohort study , immunotherapy , allergy , pediatrics , immunology , intensive care medicine , immune system
One hundred and six of 503 (21 %) consecutive children with asthma, who from 1979 to 1983 commenced hyposensitization therapy, were prospectively studied on the safety of immunotherapy. More than 80% of the patients completed therapy without side effects. Thirteen patients were withdrawn from hyposensitization due to moderate and predictable, but intolerable, side effects such as asthma/rhinitis, urticaria and subcutaneous nodules and hypersensitivity to aluminium. However, more alarming was the outcome in six children, who after an uneventful course of immunotherapy and after several months on maintenance therapy, suddenly, 5 to 20 min (mean 10 min) following an earlier tolerable allergen injection, developed severe, anaphylactic reactions, in three of them nearly fatal. Mould extracts were responsible for the most frequent and serious side effects ( Alternaria iridis/alternate , 3 patients, Cladosporium herbarum. 8 patients). Furthermore, serious, but not immediately life‐threatening, anaphylactic reactions occurred in two children treated with Phleum pretense On the other hand, hyposensitization with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was very well tolerated.