Clinical aspects of allergic disease: A double-blind study of the discontinuation of ragweed immunotherapy

Allergen immunotherapy for allergic respiratory diseases

“…In a separate study of mite immunotherapy in children, treatment for 3 y, but not 1-2 y was associated with more prolonged remission for up to 3 y after stopping treatment. 52,53 This study and others 54 demonstrated that SCIT given for a short time was associated with a faster relapse of symptoms after discontinuation (1-3 y) compared with treatment given for 3-4 y. A DBPC-RCT study in grass pollen SCIT showed, after 3-4 y of treatment, no significant difference in symptom or medication score in the subsequent three years.…”

Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) 2008*

“…Subcutaneous immunotherapy alters the natural course of allergic diseases. Long-term efficacy of specific immunotherapy persists after it has been stopped (1672,1673,(1681)(1682)(1683)(1684)(1685)(1686). Subcutaneous immunotherapy in monosensitized children prevents the development of new sensitizations (1687) and may prevent the development of asthma in patients with rhinitis (1688,1689).…”

Specific immunotherapy for allergic diseases

“…Other studies have shown that one year's treatment is insufficient to give lasting benefit. 16 The benefits of SIT for perennial rhinitis are less than for seasonal rhinitis. In part, this reflects the difficulty in determining the extent to which allergy is responsible for perennial symptoms.…”