Related Experiment Videos
PAT--the Preventive Allergy Treatment Study design and preliminary results
1Turku Allergy Center, Finland. erkka.valovirta@kolumbus.fi
Insights
Allergen specific subcutaneous immunotherapy effectively reduced asthma symptoms in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. This safe treatment option showed statistically significant improvements compared to standard pharmacotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis is common in children.
- Asthma is a frequent comorbidity.
- Effective treatments for pediatric allergic diseases are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate allergen specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) for reducing asthma outcomes.
- To assess the efficacy and safety of SCIT in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
- To compare SCIT with optimal pharmacotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, multi-center, randomized controlled trial.
- 210 children (5-13 years) with birch/timothy pollen sensitization.
- Intervention: 3 years of SCIT vs. control: optimal pharmacotherapy.
Main Results:
- Preliminary data indicate SCIT is effective and safe.
- Significantly fewer children in the SCIT group experienced asthma symptoms.
- Data from all centers are still pending evaluation.
Conclusions:
- Allergen specific immunotherapy demonstrates potential in managing asthma in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
- SCIT appears to be a safe and effective treatment strategy.
- Further analysis of complete data is required for definitive conclusions.
Abstract:
The Preventive Allergy Treatment Study, the PAT Study, is a European multi-center study. The end-point is to show in what capacity allergen specific subcutaneous immunotherapy can reduce the outcome of asthma in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis sensitized to birch and/or timothy pollen. Two hundred and ten children aged from 5 to 13 years were included in the study. Children were randomized to the active treatment group receiving allergen specific immunotherapy with birch and/or timothy pollen allergen extract or to the control group receiving the optimal pharmacotherapy. Immunotherapy was given for the course of three years. Preliminary data show that immunotherapy has been effective, it has been safe and statistically significantly less children in the actively treated group had asthmatic symptoms than children in the control group. Data have not been evaluated from all centers at the moment. The study is a prospective follow-up study, the patients' data will be evaluated next time in the year 2002.