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House dust mite SLIT effective for children with rhinitis, asthma

House dust mite sublingual immunotherapy tablets were an effective treatment for children and adolescents with rhinitis and/or asthma due to house dust mite allergens, according to a recent study.

“Symptoms of rhinitis and asthma were improved in almost two-thirds of patients,” the researchers wrote. “Consequently, there was a significant decrease in the use of symptomatic medications, confirming the findings of previous reports. Compliance was also high showing that treatment was acceptable to both patients and their parents.”

They included 736 pediatric patients aged 5 to 17 years who were included in a previous retrospective, observational, multicenter study; with respiratory allergy and proven sensitization to house dust mites, in addition to 2 years of follow-up following SLIT implementation.

The majority of the patients (95.5%) displayed allergic rhinitis that was considered moderate-to-severe persistent in 62.8% of patients. Allergic asthma was observed in 64% patients, including those with mild-to-moderate persistent allergic asthma (52.7%), according to data.

Many patients exhibited rhinitis with asthma (59.5%), the researchers wrote.

Data also indicated that 62.3% patients were polysensitized. The adherence to SLIT was considered “good” in 86.5% of patients and “effective” in 83.8% of patients. Furthermore, patients’ rhinitis (64.6%) and asthma (64.3%) symptoms improved.

“These findings reflect the results of previous investigations and support trials of SLIT in children and adolescents who have failed to respond to standard pharmacotherapy or in whom pharmacotherapy is contraindicated,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosure: See the study for a full list of relevant financial disclosures.