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

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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.

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Abbreviations

SF-36:

Medical Outcome Study Short Form Health Survey

IgE:

immunoglobulin E

FEV1:

Forced Expiratory Volume

RQLQ:

Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire

ANOVA:

analysis of variance

CI:

confidence interval

ITT:

intention to treat

PP:

per protocol

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Allergy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden

    Sabina Rak

  2. Allergy & Asthma Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    William H. Yang

  3. ALK-Abelló A/S, Hørsholm, Denmark

    Martin R. Pedersen

  4. National Heart and Lung Institute, Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, London, UK

    Stephen R. Durham

Authors
  1. Sabina Rak
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  2. William H. Yang
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  3. Martin R. Pedersen
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  4. Stephen R. Durham
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Correspondence to Sabina Rak.

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Rak, S., Yang, W.H., Pedersen, M.R. et al. Once-daily sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy improves quality of life in patients with grass pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: A double-blind, randomised study. Qual Life Res 16, 191–201 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-006-9110-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-006-9110-3

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