Background/aim: Allergen specific immunotherapy (ASIT) should be considered in patients with moderate to severe allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, whose complaints persists despite symptomatic treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ASIT with gramineae pollen in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
Materials and methods: The patients aged 5-18 years with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis were included in the study. The patients were divided in two groups. One group received ASIT, the other was control group that did not. The control group, in which participant have similar age and similar duration of disease. Visual analogue score (VAS), daily symptom score (dSS), daily medications score (dMS) and combined symptom and medication score (CSMS) were evaluated at three times points: baseline, after ASIT for first and second year.
Results: 188 children with a diagnosis of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis were included in the study. 94 of the patients had received immunotherapy.105 (55.9%) of the patients were male, the median age was 14 (min-max: 7-18 years). In the group of patients who received ASIT; there was statistically significant decreases in VAS, dSS, dMS and CSMS through one and two years therapy in comparison to the baseline values (p < 0.001). When the group of patients receiving ASIT was compared with the control group after two years of follow-up, there was a significant decrease in VAS, dSS, dMS and CSMS (p
Key words: allergic rhinitis, allergen specific immunotherapy, gramineae pollens, efficacy, safety
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