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SCIT reduces grass pollen allergies in elderly patients

Subcutaneous immunotherapy is effective in treating the symptoms of seasonal allergy rhinitis and grass pollen allergies in the elderly, according to recent research.

“[T]his study showed that [subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT)] to grass pollen allergens resulted in a significant clinical improvement in the active group compared with the placebo group during pollen season,” Andrzej Bozek, MD, PhD, of the clinical department of internal disease, dermatology and allergology, Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland, and colleagues wrote. “This therapy was well tolerated. These observations could increase the use of SCIT in the elderly.”

Bozek and colleagues randomly assigned 60 patients aged between 65 and 75 years with seasonal allergy rhinitis and grass pollen allergy to receive either SCIT or placebo. Researchers then monitored the patients for 3 years after treatment.

“Older people who suffer from hay fever may have health challenges that younger people do not,” Ira Finegold, MD, past president of the ACAAI, stated in a press release. “Hay fever is often ignored in older patients as a less significant health problem because of diseases such as asthma, coronary heart disease, depression and high blood pressure. Also, some baby boomers might not realize they have allergies, and their physicians might not suggest allergy shots. The research indicated that allergy shots were extremely effective for this group.”

Thirty-one patients in the SCIT group and 24 patients in the placebo group reached final follow-up. The researchers found the median area under the curve (AUC) for the treatment group had significantly decreased from 7.85 (range, 3.67-8.98) to 4.63 (range, 3.56-7.80), whereas the placebo group median AUC did not significantly change, according to the abstract. Further, Bozek and colleagues noted the combined medication and symptoms score for the SCIT group decreased by 41%, and individually, the symptom score decreased by 55% and the medication score decreased by 64%.

“It’s important that allergy treatment methods commonly used in young people are also investigated for use in older patients,” Gailen Marshall, MD, PhD, editor-in-chief of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, stated in a press release “More and more allergists are expanding the age limit for allergy shots as the baby boomer generation enters their senior years. Although there are no doubts about the effectiveness of allergy shots for both adults and children, there hasn’t been much research until now in older patients.”– by Jeff Craven

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.