Immunotherapy can take 3 years to desensitize to allergens

Immunotherapy can induce tolerance for allergens, but what is a realistic time frame? A study recently published in JAMA demonstrates that 3 years of sublingual desensitizing treatment is effective, but 2 years is no different than placebo. This research helps practitioners working in the larger context of immune plasticity, and patients, to consider pragmatic parameters for case management. The authors note:

"Sublingual immunotherapy and subcutaneous immunotherapy are effective in seasonal allergic rhinitis. Three years of continuous treatment with subcutaneous immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy has been shown to improve symptoms for at least 2 years following discontinuation of treatment."

But since reducing the inconvenience and expense of treatment is always desirable, the they set out to...

"...assess whether 2 years of treatment with grass pollen sublingual immunotherapy, compared with placebo, provides improved nasal response to allergen challenge at 3-year follow-up."

3 years of immunotherapy effective, 2 years comparable to placebo

In a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3–parallel-group study of adult patients with moderate to allergic rhinitis that was severe enough to interfere with normal daily activities and sleep), thirty-six subjects received 2 years of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT; daily tablets containing 15 µg of a major allergen and monthly placebo injections), another 36 received subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT; monthly injections containing 20 µg of the allergen and daily placebo tablets); and 34 received double placebo. The nasal allergen challenge was performed before and at 1 and 2 years during treatment; and at 3 years, which was1 year after treatment concluded. Their data make clear that, while the effectiveness of 3 years of treatment is well established, 2 years of treatment did essentially nothing.

"Among 106 randomized participants (mean age, 33.5 years; 34 women [32.1%]), 92 completed the study at 3 years. In the intent-to-treat population, mean TNSS score [total nasal symptom score] for the sublingual immunotherapy group was 6.36 (95% CI, 5.76 to 6.96) at pretreatment and 4.73 (95% CI, 3.97 to 5.48) at 3 years, and for the placebo group, the score was 6.06 (95% CI, 5.23 to 6.88) at pretreatment and 4.81 (95% CI, 3.97 to 5.65) at 3 years. The between-group difference (adjusted for baseline) was −0.18 (95% CI, −1.25 to 0.90; [P = .75])."

In other words, there were no significant differences between the placebo group and the treatment groups, or between the two treatment groups, despite the finding that SCIT appeared to be more effective than SLIT at reducing TNSS after 1 year.Medscape Family Medicine quotes an editorial by Linda S. Cox, MD:

"...the cumulative costs of symptomatic drug treatment for perennial or seasonal allergic rhinitis can be significant over time," because it is a chronic condition. Therefore, any analysis of allergen-specific immunotherapy must take into account its potential for long-term disease modification. However, she warns, any cost-benefit assessment of allergen-specific immunotherapy must include "the duration of treatment required for optimal long-term efficacy." The time commitment requirement may be an important factor in patients' decisions to initiate therapy." Therefore, it is important to clarify the optimum duration of treatment. The findings of this study suggest that "2 years is not sufficient for SLIT treatment to induce long-term clinical efficacy."

Clinical note

This study leaves open the question as to whether adjunctive forms of immunomodulation can accelerate sustained benefit or improve outcomes in other ways, but it does offer one reference by which clinicians and patients can appreciate the dynamic and time frame of therapies addressing immune and neuroplasticity.The authors conclude:

"Among patients with moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis, 2 years of sublingual grass pollen immunotherapy was not significantly different from placebo in improving the nasal response to allergen challenge at 3-year follow-up."