THE ROLE OF SUBCUTANEOUS IMMUNOTHERAPY IN RESPIRATORY ALLERGIC PATIENTS: AN ALBANIAN SURVEY

Allergic conjunctivitis (AC), rhinitis (AR), and bronchial asthma (BA) are allergic IgE-mediated pathologies, while their management consists on pharmacological treatment and specific immunotherapy (SIT). This study aims to evaluate clinical symptoms and monitor maintenance treatment of patients during. Subjects with AC, AR, or/and BA who initiated subcutaneous SIT during period 2008-2012 (Lofarma, Italy) are monitored along 3 years. A questionnaire that compromised a clinical score for relative symptoms and maintenance medicaments is filled out by every patient at beginning of SIT, as well as 1 and 3 years later (0 ? absent, 4 ? maximal expression of symptom; yes/no answer for treatment with a subclass medication). Data are shown in average (±SE), and comparisons are undergone due to t Student and Fisher exact. P < 0.05 was considered as significant. Study data demonstrated that both symptoms score and medicaments need were significantly reduced in the majority of cases during the first SIT, independently to allergen type or pathology. Oral glucocorticoids were completely eliminated from the treatment within the first year, whereas antihistamines were the mostly used during the SIT. In summary, this study demonstrates that symptom score and medication monitoring can be useful in the evaluation of SIT efficacy.