Allergen-specific subcutaneous immunotherapy-pain evaluation in pediatric age

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Pediatric Medicine
• Pain Management

Background:

• Allergen-specific immunotherapy offers disease-modifying treatment for allergic diseases.
• Subcutaneous immunotherapy with allergens (SCITA) is effective but its pain profile in pediatric patients is understudied.
• Assessing pain perception in children undergoing SCITA is crucial for treatment adherence and comfort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the pain experienced by pediatric patients during SCITA.
• To analyze pain scores using age-appropriate scales.
• To document adverse reactions associated with SCITA in children.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two pain scales: faces scale (5-8 years) and numeric scale (>8 years).
• Collected pain assessments weekly for four weeks via nurse-completed questionnaires.
• Recorded demographic data, clinical information, and adverse reactions.

Main Results:

• 46 pediatric patients (mean age 12.3 years, 69.5% male) were included, primarily treated for rhinitis/rhinoconjunctivitis with mites.
• Ten patients reported no pain; 33 reported mild pain (scores 1-3); three reported moderate pain (scores 4-6).
• Seven mild local adverse reactions were noted; median pain score was 1 across both scales.

Conclusions:

• SCITA is a minimally painful procedure for pediatric patients.
• The treatment is associated with few and mild local adverse reactions.
• SCITA is a safe and viable treatment option for pediatric allergies.