New Ideas in Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy

Abstract

Immunotherapy represents the only allergen-specific treatment of allergic diseases. The clinical efficacy has been documented in a number of studies involving both rhinitis and asthma patients, although because of the multifactorial pathophysiology including hyperresponsiveness, asthma may not respond as satisfactorily as rhinitis. Owing to the capacity to reduce the release of allergic mediators and thereby the allergic inflammation, immunotherapy has advantages over the nonspecific drug treatment primarily interfering at the target level of mediators. The clinical efficacy may be improved and the risk of side effects reduced by the use of modified allergens or by immunological manipulation in parallel with allergen administration.