Discontinuing venom immunotherapy: outcome after five years
View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Venom immunotherapy (VIT) can be safely stopped after five years for most patients. Discontinuing VIT does not increase sting reaction risk and sensitivity naturally declines over time.
Area Of Science
- Allergy and Immunology
- Clinical Toxicology
- Immunotherapy Research
Background
- Clinical outcomes of stopping venom immunotherapy (VIT) are unclear.
- Determining safe discontinuation criteria for VIT is essential.
Purpose Of The Study
- To assess the safety and immunological effects of discontinuing VIT after 5 years.
- To identify patient subgroups who may not be suitable for VIT cessation.
Main Methods
- Volunteers completed at least 5 years of maintenance VIT.
- Post-discontinuation, patients underwent sting challenges, venom skin tests, and IgE antibody measurements every 1-2 years.
Main Results
- Only 3% of sting challenges (10% of patients) resulted in systemic symptoms, with few clinically significant reactions.
- Venom skin test negativity increased from 28% at discontinuation to 56-67% after 2-4 years without VIT.
- Venom-specific IgE levels decreased, and challenge stings did not increase reaction risk or prevent sensitivity decline.
Conclusions
- VIT can be safely discontinued after 5 years for most patients.
- Venom sensitivity decreases over time, even after therapy cessation.
- Prolonged VIT may induce a non-IgG-mediated mechanism for long-term allergy suppression.