Pre-treatment allergen-specific IgE analysis and outcomes of allergen immunotherapy

• Published in: European annals of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 54; no. 5; pp. 218 - 228
• Main Authors: Berge, M, Bertilsson, L, Hultgren, O, Hugosson, S, Saber, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 01.09.2022
• Subjects: allergen immunotherapy; Allergens; Desensitization, Immunologic - methods; Humans; IgE; Immunoglobulin E; Poaceae; Pollen allergy; Retrospective Studies; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - diagnosis; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - therapy; allergen immunotherapy; pollen allergy; IgE; birch; grass
• ISSN: 1764-1489; 1764-1489
• DOI: 10.23822/EurAnnACI.1764-1489.199

Patients show varied results to allergen immunotherapy (AIT. The reason for this variability is unclear. To describe the relationship between AIT efficacy and demographic characteristics, as well as pre-treatment plasma levels of specific IgE-antibodies to grass and birch pollen. A retrospective study was performed based on medical records of 128 patients who received AIT. The patients completed a questionnaire and pre-AIT plasma levels of allergen-specific IgE to grass and birch pollen were measured using EUROLINE DPA-Dx pollen 1 method. Results. Seventy percent of patients classified their allergic symptoms as less severe after AIT. Twenty-seven percent had received AIT targeting only grass pollen, 19% targeting only birch pollen, and 55% targeting both grass and birch. A total of 35 different IgE profiles were found across our study population. On comparison of the demographic characteristics and concentration of allergen-specific IgE-antibodies, no statistically significant differences could be found. The majority of patients rated their allergic symptoms as less severe after AIT. No clear relationship could be demonstrated between pre-treatment allergen-specific IgE concentration, or demographic characteristics, and effect of AIT. There may be other factors underlying the different responses to AIT.