BackgroundMany placebo-controlled studies have demonstrated that allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is an effective therapy for treating allergies. Both commonly used routes, subcutaneous (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), require high patient adherence to be successful. In the literature, numbers describing adherence vary widely; this investigation compares these two routes of therapy directly.MethodsAll data were retrieved from the patient data management system of a center for dermatology, specific allergology, and environmental medicine in Germany. All 330 patients (aged 13–89 years) included in this study had commenced AIT between 2003 and 2011, thus allowing a full 3-year AIT cycle to be considered for each investigated patient.ResultsIn this specific center, SCIT was prescribed to 62.7% and SLIT to 37.3% of all included patients. The total dropout rate of the whole patient cohort was 34.8%. Overall, SLIT patients showed a higher dropout rate (39.0%) than did SCIT patients (32.4%); however, the difference between these groups was not significant. Also, no significant difference between the overall dropout rates for men and for women was observed. A Kaplan–Meier curve of the patient collective showed a remarkably high dropout rate for the first year of therapy.ConclusionThe analysis presented in this single-center study shows that most patients who discontinue AIT do so during the first year of therapy. Patients seem likely to finish the 3-year therapy cycle if they manage to adhere to treatment throughout the first year. Strategies for preventing nonadherence in AIT, therefore, need to be developed and standardized in future investigations.

Background. Nonperception of efficacy ranks among the most commonly cited causes for nonadherence to sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). Quality of life (QoL) in patients is a determining factor influencing adherence. We investigated QoL and adherence separately in SLIT patients at one pediatric practice in Germany. Methods. We conducted a noninterventional, cross-sectional, retrospective, quality-of-life survey among pediatric patients treated with SLIT. QoL was assessed using the generic SF-12 health survey in German. The items contained in the SF-12 health survey are weighted, added up, and converted to obtain a physical component score (PCS) and a mental component score (MCS). Each component score ranges from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the better the QoL perceived. Results. 201 surveyed patients who had undergone SLIT showed PCS-12 of 49.3 (± 7.0) and MCS-12 of 52.6 (± 7.2). These figures correlate strongly with those reported for the German general population (n = 2453): PCS-12 of 49.6 (± 8.7) and MCS-12 of 52.3 (± 8.0). 70.2% (73) of 104 patients were adherent at this practice. Conclusions. QoL in the SLIT patients surveyed here appears as good as that of the general population. Adherence to SLIT at this practice was remarkably better than that reported elsewhere.

Allergies are steadily gaining in importance in the Western world. For over one hundred years, immunology has been the only causal treatment. Specific immunotherapy (SIT) aims at the cure of allergy or at least freedom from allergy symptoms. In association with this, adherence poses a complex problem. Both treatment applications commonly used in Germany-sublingual and subcutaneous immunotherapy-show poor persistence on the part of the patients. In most cases, SIT is not carried out to the end of the recommended duration and instead is discontinued prematurely. Corresponding figures from 3‑year studies in the literature range from 41- 93% for uncompleted SLIT and from 40-77% for uncompleted SCIT. Patient adherence is subject to influencing factors of various dimensions that are interdependent in complex relationships. The physician-patient relationship is just as decisive a factor for treatment success as the patient's understanding of allergy, treatment, and the importance of adherence.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the incidence of influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) in influenza patients admitted to intensive care units in Sweden.Methods The study included consecutive adult patients with PCR-verified influenza A or B in 12 Swedish intensive care units (ICUs) over four influenza seasons. Patients were screened using serum galactomannan and β-d-glucan tests and fungal culture of a respiratory sample at inclusion and weekly during the ICU stay. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed if clinically feasible. IAPA was classified according to recently proposed case definitions.Results The cohort included 55 patients; 42% were female, and the median age was 59 (IQR 48–71) years. All patients had at least one galactomannan test, β-d-glucan test and respiratory culture performed. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in 24 (44%) of the patients. Five (9%, 95% CI 3.8% − 20.4%) patients were classified as probable IAPA, of which four lacked classical risk factors. The overall ICU mortality was significantly higher among IAPA patients than non-IAPA patients (60% vs 8%, p = 0.01).Conclusion The study represents the first prospective investigation of IAPA incidence. The 9% incidence of IAPA confirms the increased risk of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis among influenza patients admitted to the ICU. Therefore, it appears reasonable to implement a screening protocol for the early diagnosis and treatment of IAPA in influenza patients receiving intensive care.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04172610, registered November 21, 2019