Injectable and Oral Immunotherapies Reduce Use of Asthma Medications, AHRQ Review Finds

In children with allergic asthma, subcutaneous immunotherapy may reduce long-term use of asthma medications, according to a new AHRQ-funded study in Pediatrics. Researchers also found that sublingual therapy improves asthma symptoms and the use of long-term control medications, and may improve quality of life. Local and systemic allergic reactions are common, while life-threatening events are reported rarely for both interventions. The conclusions are drawn from a new AHRQ evidence review that explored the role of both injectable and oral immunotherapies for asthma treatment. Researchers noted that standard treatment guidelines for immunotherapy do not yet include the use of sublingual therapy to treat asthma. Access the abstract of the article in Pediatrics.