Title: Immunotherapy
1Immunotherapy
- Personal statistics
- (updated, 2013)
- John Weisnagel, M.D.
2Database
- Sept 1992-Dec 2012 31,150 patients
- Undergoing immunotherapy 2,533 pts (8)
- Perennial Rx (all-year long) 1,490 (58.8)
- Pre-seasonal Rx (one injection per week (for 4 or
9 weeks depending on type of Rx, 1-2 months
preceding the specific pollen season) 1020
(40.2) - 23 pts having recd both types of treatment.
3Efficacy of immunotherapy
- Of the 2,533 treated since 1992,
- 1046 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
- Perennial in 596
- Pre-seasonal in 450
4Perennial Treatment
- 596 patients
- Asthma 53 (8.8)
- Asthma pollinosis 74 (12.4)
- Asthma rhinitis 86 (14.4)
- Pollinosis 155 (26)
- Rhinitis 225 (37.7)
5Efficacy of Perennial treatment in 596 patients
Excellent Very good Good Slight Ineffective
Asthma 53 4 (7.5) 17 (32) 16 (30.1) 7 (13.2) 9 (16.9)
Asthma pollinosis 74 8 (10.8) 18 (24.3) 24 (32.4) 14 (18.9) 10 (13.5)
Asthma rhinitis 86 7 (8.1) 25 (29) 19 (22) 23 (26.7) 12 (13.9)
Pollinosis 155 23 (14.8) 57 (36.7) 51 (32.9) 16 (10.3) 8 (5.1)
Rhinitis 225 21 (9.3) 67 (29.7) 62 (27.5) 53 (23.5) 22 (9.7)
6Pre-seasonal Treatment
- 450 patients with pollen allergy, some with
associated asthma - Reported effect
- Excellent in 82 (18.2)
- Very good in 135 (30)
- Good in 111 (24.6)
- Slight in 48 (10.6)
- Ineffective in 24 (5.3)
7Efficacy summary
Perennial treatment averaged 18.5 for slight
improvement 28.9 for good 30.3 for
very good 10.1 for excellent while
ineffective in only 11.8 Pre-seasonal treatment
averaged 10.6 for slight improvement 24.6
for good 30 for very good
18.2 for excellent while ineffective
in only 5.3
8Pre-seasonals
- Center-Al
- Suspal
- Pollinex R
- Other tyrosine preps.
9Perennials
- Mixtures
- House dust mite pollens
- House dust mite molds
- House dust mite pollens molds
10Bottom 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.