Once-daily sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy improves quality of life in patients with grass pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: A double-blind, randomised study

Authors: Rak, Sabina1; Yang, William; Pedersen, Martin; Durham, Stephen

Source: Quality of Life Research, Volume 16, Number 2, March 2007 , pp. 191-201(11)

Publisher: Springer

Key:
Free Content - Free Content
New Content - New Content
Subscribed Content - Subscribed Content
Free Trial Content - Free Trial Content

Abstract:

The effect of sublingual immunotherapy on quality of life (QoL) was examined in patients with grass pollen-induced rhinoconjunctivitis. Patients (n = 855) were randomised to once-daily grass allergen tablets (2,500; 25,000; or 75,000 SQ-T Phleum pratense extract; GRAZAX®) or placebo. Treatment was initiated 8 weeks before the start of the grass pollen season and continued throughout. If symptoms were present, patients received loratadine or placebo rescue medication. There were three major findings: in patients using loratadine, grass allergen tablets provided QOL benefits over placebo; Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) score was 17% (p = 0.006) and 20% (p = 0.020) greater with 75,000 SQ-T tablet than with placebo at first and second seasonal visit, respectively; in patients not using loratadine, grass allergen tablets improved QoL more than placebo; RQLQ score was 21% greater (p = 0.021) with 75,000 SQ-T tablet at second seasonal visit; grass tablets (without loratadine) had a greater effect on QoL than loratadine alone. RQLQ score was 26% (p = 0.014) greater with 75,000 SQ-T tablets than loratadine at second seasonal visit. These data show that sublingual immunotherapy with grass allergen tablets improves QOL in allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, reduces symptoms, and that this effect is greater than rescue antihistamine alone.

Keywords: Grass pollen allergy; Quality of life; RQLQ; Seasonal allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis; Sublingual immunotherapy

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1007/s11136-006-9110-3

Affiliations: 1: Email: sabina.rak@medfak.gu.se

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$47.00 plus tax      Refund Policy

 

OR

Back to top

Key:
Free Content - Free Content
New Content - New Content
Subscribed Content - Subscribed Content
Free Trial Content - Free Trial Content
Share this item with others: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Page Help Click here for Page Help
Shopping cart
Tools
Sign in






Need to register?
Sign up here
Text size: A | A | A | A