Spezifische Immuntherapie im Kindesalter: Subkutane oder sublinguale Applikation

Background: Subcutaneous (SCIT) and sublingual (SLIT) immunotherapy are the two routes for administering allergen-specific immunotherapy for inhalative allergens. Immunotherapy: The only route of administration for children with bee or wasp venom allergy is SCIT and it is also the primary route of administration for children with asthmatic complaints. Both SCIT and SLIT were shown to be effective in controlling symptoms and in reducing rescue medication in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis sensitized to grass pollens. There is evidence from clinical trials that SLIT with specific grass pollen allergens administered as tablets (e.g. Grazax and Oralair) or drops (Infecto-SLIT forte) is effective and safe in children. A recently published meta-analysis compared both forms of administration and showed a trend toward favoring SCIT for symptom and medication scores. Moreover, local adverse events after SLIT, such as oral pruritus, burning sensation, lip or tongue swelling and gastrointestinal symptoms are pronounced during the first months of administration, which might reduce patient compliance and adherence to specific immunotherapy. Finally, SCIT but not SLIT showed a reduced risk of developing asthma and new sensitization during treatment and 7 years after discontinuation of therapy indicating long-term preventive effects of SCIT. Conclusions: Although there is evidence of effectiveness of both SCIT and SLIT with grass pollen extracts in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, SCIT is the primary mode of administration in children. Further research is needed to establish the clinical effectiveness of SCIT versus SLIT in a head-to-head trial in children.