Immunotherapy

1
Immunotherapy

• Personal statistics
• John Weisnagel, M.D.

2
Database

• Sept 1992-June 2006 23,577 patients
• Undergoing immunotherapy 2,393 pts (10.14)
• Perennial Rx (all-year long) 1,437 (60)
• Pre-seasonal Rx (one injection per week 1-2
  months preceding the specific pollen season) 936
  (39.1)
• 20 pts having recd both types of treatment.

3
Efficacy of immunotherapy

• Of the 2,393 treated since 1992,
• 983 replied to the question of the effect of
  their treatment (excellent, very good, good,
  slight or no change) when reminders were sent
  them about renewals
• Treatment was either
• Perennial or
• Pre-seasonal.

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Perennial Treatment

• 581 patients
• Asthma 53 (9.12)
• Asthma pollinosis 74 (12.7)
• Asthma rhinitis 83 (14.2)
• Pollinosis 148 (25.47)
• Rhinitis 223 (38.38)

5
Efficacy of Perennial treatment in 581 patients
6
Pre-seasonal Treatment

• 402 patients
• Asthma pollinosis 6 (1.4)
• Asthma rhinitis 2 (0.49)
• Pollinosis 393 (97.76)
• Rhinitis 1 (0.29)

7
Efficacy of pre-seasonal treatment in 402
patients
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Totals
9
Efficacy summary
10
Pre-seasonals

• Center-Al
• Suspal
• Pollinex R
• Other tyrosine preps.

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Perennials

• Mixtures
• House dust mite pollens
• House dust mite molds
• House dust mite pollens molds

12
Bottom line

• These personal statistics, though anecdotal,
  reflect the conclusion of the many studies
  published on the benefit of immunotherapy.
• Both forms of therapy, perennial and pre-seasonal
  have similar benefits.
• Immunotherapy is still an effective treatment in
  respiratory allergy, and should be considered
  when pharmaceutical therapy is inadequate.