Specific desensitization to respiratory allergens

Specific desensitization to respiratory allergens is a way of "training" the body to become less allergic depending on the type of antigen causing the allergy. This is an immunotherapy to help prevent common allergic reactions in the respiratory tract such as grass pollen, house dust...; thereby helping to reduce inflammatory symptoms typical for people with allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Until now, although medicines for people with frequent respiratory allergies are very effective, but they never completely cure people with frequent asthma attacks, allergic rhinitis. At this time, respiratory allergen-specific desensitization immunotherapy is the most likely way available to "cure" the allergy, reducing the severity of symptoms and the need for medication. for many patients.
Inhalation-specific desensitization is based on the principle of regular administration of gradually increasing doses of allergen extract over a period of many years. The route of administration may be in the form of an injection or a pill, a spray, or a sublingual (sublingual) drop. When inhaled allergens are actively exposed over a long period of time to gradually increasing concentrations, the way the immune system responds to allergens is altered. The end result is that the person becomes immune to the allergen. At this point, the respiratory allergens have been desensitized so they can tolerate them with little or no symptoms.
However, allergy immunotherapy like the one above is not a quick form of treatment. Patients who agree to this therapy need to thoroughly explain and accept the 3-5 year treatment commitment for successful desensitization, minimizing the frequency of adverse events.

The factors for a patient to be suitable for performing specific desensitization to respiratory allergens are discussed and agreed upon between the patient himself or his family and the medical team. specializing in allergy - immunology. Accordingly, the decision to perform desensitization will be in the best interest of the patient when:
The duration of allergy symptoms is too long or the allergy is severe. Drugs and/or controllability environment to prevent allergy symptoms is limited or ineffective Is susceptible to allergies to common triggers such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis) due to pollen or dust mite allergies Encounters side effects from antiallergic or antiallergic medications Desire to avoid long-term use In general, both children and adults can be considered for participation in allergen-specific desensitization Respiratory . However, children under the age of five are not recommended because symptoms may improve as the child gets older. Furthermore, performing desensitization in a very young child can present certain difficulties due to the uncooperative child as any adverse symptom can become fatal in the very young child. measure. In contrast, for adults, other medical conditions such as heart disease or chronic medical conditions should also be carefully considered before performing desensitization.

The process of performing specific desensitization for respiratory allergens can be done by subcutaneous injection or in the form of oral tablets, sprays or drops under the tongue.
Intravenous Drugs A very small dose of an allergen containing drug is introduced into the body by injection with a fine needle, causing very subtle damage. Patients should adhere to the weekly injection desensitization regimen initially and then gradually increase the dose over 3 to 6 months until the maintenance dose is reached. Thereafter, the patient continued to receive frequent inhalations of the allergen, usually once a month, for several years.
Sublingual drugs The sublingual area contains a rich vascular system and is highly rheumatic. Therefore, immunotherapy can also be carried out with drugs through the sublingual area in the form of preparations such as tablets, sprays or drops. The patient should be instructed to hold the allergen under the tongue for several minutes or as long as possible before the reflex to swallow it occurs.
Compared with injection, sublingual immunotherapy can be done at home and the risk of side effects is lower. However, this method is sometimes more expensive and for some types of respiratory allergies will not be as effective as injections.
After initiating respiratory allergen-specific desensitization, symptoms will usually begin to improve after about 4 to 5 months. Even so, because a hypersensitivity reaction can occur at any time, during this time the patient must be ready to have relief, continue to take their usual allergy and asthma medications, and also have to continue the immunotherapy according to the schedule. The generally recommended duration of maintenance desensitization treatment is for 3 to 5 years to prevent allergic reactions to respiratory allergens from returning.

Some people may experience swelling at the injection site of the allergen. However, the greatest risk is from a severe allergic reaction to anaphylaxis, which is actually very rare. To reduce the risk, people can take an antihistamine first to avoid the possibility of side effects or limit the severity of symptoms.
For immunotherapy administered sublingually, the patient may experience mild swelling or itching inside the mouth or, in rare cases, an upset stomach. Similar to the parenteral administration, the possibility of serious side effects is also very rare.
In conclusion, airway allergen-specific desensitization has been shown to be of long-term benefit in patients with frequent asthma or allergic rhinitis. By building tolerance to respiratory allergens, desensitization will help patients' allergy symptoms subside over time and enjoy a better life after immunotherapy. allergy outbreak.
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