Grass Pollen Subcutaneous Immunotherapy in Elderly Patients

Background There is limited evidence indicating that specific immunotherapy in elderly patients is safe and effective. This study was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) against grass pollen allergens in patients over 60 years of age with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) and a confirmed allergy to grass pollen. Objective This study assessed the safety and efficacy of SCIT for grass pollen allergens in elderly patients with SAR. Methods This study included 62 60- to 75-year-old patients with SAR and grass pollen allergy confirmed using a skin prick test, nasal provocation, and serum IgE measurement. The patients were individually randomized to the active or placebo groups using a double-blinded method. There were 33 subjects in the SCIT group (Purethal, Grass pollen, HAL Allergy B.V, Leiden, Netherlands) and 29 subjects in the placebo group monitored for three years. The patients were required to record each use of anti-allergy medication in a diary and use a visual graphic scale. The main outcome measure was the area under the curve (AUC) for the combined symptom and medication score (SMS).