Table 5.
Summary of double‐blind placebo‐controlled‐randomized controlled trials of allergen immunotherapy to furry animals in the pediatric age
| Author | Allergen | Participants n (age, y) | Allergic disease | AIT type | Target maintenance dose/major allergen content | Treatment duration | Main efficacy results | Main safety results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valovirta (1984 – 1986)486 | Dog | 27 (5‐18 y) | Asthma | SCIT | ● 100000 SQ/every 4 weeks● Dog major allergen NR | 1 year | † Conjunctival provocation test and s‐IgG‡ Symptom scores, s‐IgE and allergen‐specific BPT | No significant difference in mild reactions between the groups |
| Sundin and Hedlin (1986)458, 462 | Cat or Dog | 41 (8‐47 y) | Asthma | SCIT | Children● 80000 SQ /every 4 weeks● Cat Fel d 1 3.4 μg● Dog albumin 60.8 μgAdults● 100000 SQ/every 4 weeks ● Cat Fel d 1 4.3 μg● Dog albumin 76 μg | 1 year | † Allergen‐specific BPT in the cat AIT treated group. † SPT and s‐IgG and s‐IgG4 in both groups.‡ Allergen‐specific and histamine BPT in the dog AIT‐treated group.Histamine BPT within the cat AIT‐treated group compared to baseline, but not within the dog AIT treated. (No comparison active vs placebo reported for this outcome.) | AIT group:GR mild in all 12 children during the initial build‐up phase. 2 adults stopped AIT, one in the active group, and one in the placebo group due to GR |
| Haugaard (1992)459 | Cat and/or Dog | 24 (13‐48 y) | Asthma | SCIT | ● 100000 BU /every 4‐6 weeks● Cat Fel d 1 200 μg● Dog major allergen NR | 1 year (first 5 months included a placebo control group) | ‡ Allergen‐specific and histamine BPT at 5 monthsSignificant improvement in the Allergen‐specific and histamine BPTs within the cat AIT treated group at 12 months compared to baseline, but not within the dog AIT‐treated group. | AIT group: GR in 4 patients (ie, 1 anaphylactic reaction and 1 severe asthma attack during build‐up; and 2 mild asthma attack during maintenance)LR in 25% of all injections. |
| Alvarez‐Cuesta (1994)461 | Cat | 28 (15‐65 y) | Asthma and ARC | SCIT | ● 40 BU /every 4 weeks● Cat Fel d 1 13.2 μg | 1 year | † Short‐term symptom and medication scores, SPT, conjunctival provocation test, and allergen‐specific BPT.Methacholine BPT unchanged in the active group; worsen in the placebo group (no comparison active vs placebo reported for this outcome | AIT group LR in 7 subjects (1.5% of all administered doses)GR in 3 subjects treated with epinephrine (0.41% of all administered doses) |
| Alvarez‐Cuesta (2007) 466 | Cat | 33 (16‐51 y) | ARC ± Asthma | SLIT | 2 drops/dailyof vial containing Cat Fel d 1 0.51 μg/ml | 1 year | † Total and Nasal Symptoms Scores, peak expiratory flow on natural exposure challenge and SPT | No local or systemic adverse reactions experienced by either group |
AIT: allergen‐specific immunotherapy; ARC: allergic rhinoconjunctivitis; BPT: bronchial provocation test; BU: biologic units; GR: generalized reactions; LR: local reactions; NR: not reported; SCIT: subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy; SLIT: sublingual allergen immunotherapy; SPT: skin prick test; s‐IgE (specific IgE); s‐IgG (specific IgG); SQ: standardized quality units.
†: Statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) in the AIT vs. control groups
‡: No significant difference in the AIT vs. control groups.