[Hyposensitization treatment of allergic diseases]

Hyposensitization or allergenic immunotherapy has been used extensively for 80 years as a specific treatment of IgE-mediated allergic diseases. Highly effective is venom immunotherapy for patients with systemic reactions after hymenoptera stings and positive diagnostic tests for venom-specific IgE. The clinical efficacy of immunotherapy in hay fever has also been convincingly documented. 20 to 30% of patients with allergic rhinitis pollen develop asthma at a later stage of the disease. Some studies have shown a significant efficacy of immunotherapy in reducing the further development of rhinitis into asthma. The clinical efficacy of immunotherapy in allergic asthma to house-dust mites, animal danders or moulds has been questioned; however, a number of controlled studies published during the last decade shows a clear tendency towards a beneficial effect, especially in children. Recent data show a reduction in mediator release induced by immunotherapy and an inhibition of the late-phase reaction following skin and bronchial challenge tests. Immunotherapy and pharmacotherapy should be integrated components of the treatment strategy of allergic diseases in order to gain the optimal result for the allergic patient.