[Desensitization to mites: literature review]

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Respiratory Medicine

Context:

• Mite allergy is a common trigger for asthma and allergic rhinitis.
• Effective long-term management strategies for mite allergy are crucial.

Purpose:

• To review the efficacy of specific desensitization to mites.
• To evaluate objective and subjective assessment methods for desensitization.
• To discuss various desensitization methods, their outcomes, and safety profiles.

Summary:

• Objective double-blind studies confirm the efficacy of specific mite desensitization.
• Short-term benefits include reduced allergic crises and medication needs.
• Long-term advantages involve decreased inflammation and prevention of irreversible lung damage in asthma patients.
• The study emphasizes the importance of carefully selected patient populations (children and adults) with defined inclusion/exclusion criteria.
• Evaluation encompasses clinical assessment, symptom scores, drug consumption, skin tests, lung function tests, and biological assays.

Impact:

• Provides evidence supporting specific mite desensitization as a valuable therapeutic option.
• Highlights the importance of objective assessment in allergy treatment.
• Informs clinical practice regarding patient selection and treatment monitoring for mite-allergic individuals.