PHRM 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Allergen Immunotherapy, House Dust Mite, Rhinitis
Document Summary
Positive skin testing & poorly controlled symptoms using maximal pharmacotherapy. Moa : changes in serum ab levels and cellular changes (alteration of t cell response) Gradually increase initial dose during the escalation phase to reach maintenance dose (that appropriately alleviates ar symptoms) Known ranges for effective doses of dust mite, cat, dog, grasses, ragweed allergens. Local side effects: injection site itch, swelling (rare systemic reactions can be severe) There is long-lasting effect associated with ait, but at least 3 years of treatment is required. Meta-analysis : significant reduction in symptoms (compared to placebo) Side effects: local allergic reactions (mouth edema, oral pruritus, throat irritation) Serious side effects: respiratory distress, laryngeal edema, severe eczema. Cochrane : significant reduction in symptoms and medication requirements with no severe systemic reactions or anaphylaxis (compared to placebo) Treatment for >12 months provides consistent improvement (long time to see effect) Tablets are more effective in terms of medication score.
