Who Should Get Immunotherapy:

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology says patients in these groups would likely benefit from immunotherapy:

• Asthma triggered by exposure to airborne allergens, PLUS:
• Poor response to asthma medicines or environmental controls
• Avoiding your triggers is unrealistic or impossible
• Having problematic side effects from asthma medicine

People who have life-threatening allergies to insect stings are also great candidates for allergy shots.

Effectiveness of immunotherapy

In the past, the effectiveness of immunotherapy and asthma was somewhat controversial. In the last few years, research suggests that immunotherapy is effective in certain populations. But, it's still not clear if the benefits are better than other options, such as inhaled corticosteroids. It's also not clear if patients who are treated with inhaled steroids have a different response to allergy shots than those who are not. It does seem that immunotherapy can prevent the development of asthma in children with severe allergies to airborne allergens.

What is immunotherapy

What It Is:

Immunotherapy is the medical term for a treatment for asthma commonly known as "allergy shots." It can help reduce asthma symptoms and the need for medications in people who are allergic to airborne allergens, such as pollen, pet dander, and dust mite

Immunotherapy

The recommendations of professional bodies have ranged from cautious acceptance to outright dismissal. With increasing interest in new allergen preparations and new methods of delivery, it was time to conduct another systematic review of allergen specific immunotherapy for asthma.

Immunotherapy in asthma

Injecting allergens under the skin (allergen specific immunotherapy) can reduce asthma and use of medication, but with a risk of severe reactions.

Asthma attacks can be caused by allergies, pollens, cigarette smoke or air pollution and can be fatal. An allergen is a substance that causes an allergic reaction in a person sensitive to it. Allergen specific immunotherapy involves having injections of increasing amounts of the allergen under the skin. It is also called hyposensitisation or desensitisation, and there is a risk of severe allergic reactions. The review of trials found that immunotherapy can reduce asthma symptoms, the need for medications, improve the sensitivity of the lungs and reduce the risk of severe asthma attacks after future exposure to the allergen.

(cochrane review)

asthma

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