Evaluation of Sub CutaneousRush Immunotherapy Effectiveness in Perennial Allergic Rhinitis After a Year from Treatment

Introduction: Allergen immunotherapy is an effective treatment for allergic rhinitis. Conventional immunotherapy takes at least 5 to 6 months to reach the maintenance dosage; nonetheless, rush immunotherapy accelerates to reach the maintenance dose several months earlier. However, the safety and efficacy of this treatment has not been widely investigated. The objective of the present study was to determine the efficacy of subcutaneous rush immunotherapy in the patients with perennial allergic rhinitis after a year from treatment.

Materials And Methods: This study was carried out on a total of 15 patients with allergic rhinitis who received rush immunotherapy and were evaluated for the quality of life and clinical symptoms improvement with Sino-Nasal Outcome Test Questionnaire (SNOT-22) and Mini Rhino conjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) before and after a year from treatment. Moreover, specific weed mix Immunoglobulin E (IgE) was measured before and after a year from treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 16) (P<0.05).

Results: The comparison of specific IgE indicated a significant reduction between before and after a year from treatment (P=0.005for pigweed)(P=0.022 for salsola). There was a significant decrease in clinical symptoms according to SNOT-22 Questionnaire [(mean score: 46.00, before the treatment) and (mean score: 14.06, after the treatment)]. The quality of life for most of the patients was moderate (46.7%) before the treatment and good (80%) after the treatment, which was considered statistically significant (P>0.001).

Conclusion: Rush immunotherapy is an effective treatment in the patients with allergic rhinitis. It seems to be an alternative treatment in cases that need more rapid treatment. However, it is recommended to carry out other studies on the control group.