Immunotherapy Basics

Abstract

Immunotherapy is the use of controlled exposure to allergens to produce durable antiinflammatory effects, thus reducing the severity of allergic disorders. Immunotherapy is useful when other methods of allergy therapy are not fully satisfactory and can be effectively combined with rhinologic surgical treatment. Immunotherapy should always be considered as a treatment option for allergy patients and can often be of benefit, provided that appropriate indications and contraindications are observed. Physicians caring for patients with allergies should therefore become familiar with methods of allergy and diagnosis and with the therapeutic potential of immunotherapy. The history of immunotherapy, possible mechanisms, indications, contraindications, testing methods, and initiation of treatment are reviewed.

Safety and Efficacy of Radioallergosorbent Test‐Based Allergen Imunotherapy in Treatment of Perennial Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma

“…Third, RAST testing also identifies when allergens differ greatly in their degree of sensitivity, so that these can be treated with different allergen doses in the preparation of immunotherapy treatment vials. 22 Less sensitive allergens are dosed at a high antigen concentration, whereas highly sensitive allergens are given at a dilute concentration, and this ability to tailor the antigen mix for multi-antigen treatment vials helps to reduce reactions caused by unanticipated high sensitivity antigens. Finally, use of the optimum dose, rather than the maximum tolerated dose, for maintenance immunotherapy significantly reduces the risk of maintenance dose reactions, since there is less chance of fluctuating environmental antigen levels adding to the slightly lower immunotherapy dose to exceed the symptom-producing threshold.…”