Standardized Dosing of Sublingual Immunotherapy

Standardized Dosing of Sublingual Immunotherapy

Standardized dosing of sublingual immunotherapy remains an area of intense study and Dr. Alfred Sassler and his team at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center expect to contribute to that literature in the near future. There are many variables that seem to influence efficacy of allergy immunotherapy for subcutaneous as well as sublingual administration. Several allergen extracts now come in a standardized form, but many others are subject to significant variations in clinical response due to variation in relative biologic activity from company to company. This is related to variations in production and preparation of the biological material. Also, the intensity of response in a particular patient, ongoing exposure to allergens in their personal environment, interactions with other allergens in the treatment mixture, potency variations due to shelf life and many other factors, known and unknown, seem to effect outcomes.

“These questions continue to be explored and answered and we see success in the 80% range. Patients report marked improvement in quality of life and need little or no medications for symptoms after successful desensitization,” says Sassler. “They often see improvement within several weeks to a few months after starting these treatments and report durable desensitization after coming off the drops in three to five years. The increasing use of SLIT is providing a viable tool in our growing tool chest for helping the allergy sufferer.”