What is immunotherapy?
Allergy vaccines or immunotherapy with allergen extracts are considered by the scientific community as the only treatment capable of changing the natural course of respiratory allergic diseases. 1
They are aimed at reducing hypersensitivity, that is, the exaggerated response to the substances that cause them.
Immunotherapy is indicated in cases of respiratory allergy (pollens, mites, fungi and animal epidermal derivatives) and hypersensitivity to hymenoptera venoms (bees and wasps).
It consists of the administration of increasing concentrations of an allergen, the substance that produces the allergy, until a maximum dose is reached, which can be maintained for a period of 3 to 5 years.
Currently, the administration guidelines differ according to the indication, the type of extracts and the route of administration. Your physician will advise you on the regimen to follow.
Due to the differences between products, it is essential to know and differentiate between the types of immunotherapy that exist.
What are the benefits? 2
With the allergy vaccine, a tolerance to the allergens administered is developed, which translates into a decrease or disappearance of the symptoms that the patient suffers when confronted with them in a natural way. The progressive improvement of the symptoms of the disease (sneezing, watery eyes, wheezing or choking) leads to a reduced need for the medications indicated for their relief or control (antihistamines, eye drops, bronchodilators, etc.).
Effects induced by allergen immunotherapy.
Short-term response (fewer symptoms, less need for medication).
Long-term response (Persistence of benefit for several years after termination; in some cases for life).
- Appearance of bronchial asthma in children with allergic rhinitis.
- Appearance of new allergies.
What types are there?
The two most commonly used routes of administration of immunotherapy are subcutaneous and sublingual. Treatment usually consists of an initiation phase and a maintenance phase. The initiation phase corresponds to the period in which doses are progressively increased, while the maintenance or continuation phase corresponds to the maximum dose reached, which is administered at regular intervals. 3.
Information of interest to the Patient 4
(Subcutaneous immunotherapy)
- May produce local reactions around the injection site or, less frequently, general (systemic) reactions.
- It must be administered in a health center: outpatient clinic, health center, hospital, specialist's office, etc. Never at the patient's home. It is important to respect the periods between each injection indicated in the follow-up chart.
- It should be kept in the refrigerator (preferably in the refrigerator door). Do not freeze (because it becomes unusable and a new one must be ordered).
- Administration of the extract should be delayed if you have:
- An asthma attack.
- A fever or respiratory infection (cold with flu-like symptoms, such as malaise, muscle pain, joint pain, shivering or chills).
- Hepatitis, mononucleosis, active tuberculosis or other similar infectious process.
- If you have received attenuated virus vaccine in the last 7-10 days.
- Please say if you have been prescribed another medication for another disease, as some drugs are contraindicated with the administration of vaccines.
- It is advisable not to exercise for at least the following two hours.
- The duration of immunotherapy is usually long: 3 to 5 years.
1. Tabar Purroy A.I., Serrano Delgado P., Beitia Mazuecos J.M., Núñez Acevedo B. Types of immunotherapy. Allergen immunotherapy. In: SEAIC, AstraZeneca, editors. Treatise on allergology. Volume I. 2nd ed. Madrid; 2017. p. 1195-1209.
2. Guardia Martínez P., Moreno Aguilar C. Allergy vaccines or immunotherapy. In: José Manuel Zubeldia, Mª Luisa Baeza, Ignacio Jáuregui, Carlos J. Senent. Book of allergenic diseases of the BBVA foundation. 2nd ed. Bilbao: Editorial Nerea, S.A.; 2012. p. 445- 452.
3. SEAIC: Sociedad Española de Alergología e Inmunología Clínica (cited November 21, 2009). Available at: https://www.seaic.org/pacientes/procedimientos-terapeuticos
4. Immunotherapy follow-up card. SEAIC (Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology).
