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Immunotherapy: when to initiate treatment in children

Ira Finegold1

  • 1St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, New York 10022, USA. drfinegold@aol.com

Allergy and Asthma Proceedings
|January 19, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy offers benefits for allergies and asthma, but current guidelines suggest starting at age 5. This review suggests earlier initiation may be beneficial for young children, particularly those with asthma.

Area of Science:

  • Allergy and Immunology
  • Pediatric Pulmonology

Background:

  • Subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SAIT) is effective for allergies and asthma.
  • Current guidelines recommend initiating SAIT at age 5 years.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the rationale behind the established age limit for SAIT.
  • To explore the potential benefits of earlier SAIT initiation in children.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature and recent studies on SAIT in young children.
  • Analysis of current clinical practice regarding SAIT age restrictions.

Main Results:

  • The rationale for the age 5 guideline is not well-supported by current practice.
  • Early studies and recent data suggest SAIT may be safe and effective in younger children.

Conclusions:

  • The established age of 5 years for SAIT may be unnecessarily restrictive.
  • Consideration should be given to initiating SAIT earlier in children, especially those with asthma.

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