Abstract

Brief Communication

Impact of coronavirus pandemic on safety and time of administration of subcutaneous immunotherapy among pediatric patients

Ana Margarida Mesquita*, Ricardo Moço Coutinho, José Luís Plácido and Alice Coimbra

Published: 02 September, 2022 | Volume 6 - Issue 1 | Pages: 001-004

Introduction: Allergen immunotherapy is the only targeted therapy that can modify the natural course of allergic diseases. In pediatric patients, SCIT with aeroallergens is an effective treatment and should be considered as a preventive strategy in the treatment of allergic diseases, even though one of the major concerns about it is its safety. The main purposes of this study were to assess the safety of SCIT ultra-rush schedules with polymerized extracts in a pediatric population and to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the safety and time of administration of subcutaneous immunotherapy among pediatric patients.
Methods: A retrospective medical records review of patients under 18 years of age undergoing SCIT was made and re-scheduling due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic was recorded. 
Results: A total of 192 pediatric patients were included. Fifty-nine (31%) had local reactions and systemic reactions were not reported. In March 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in Portugal and all non-urgent appointments and procedures were postponed. In our group of pediatric patients, 43 (22%) were referred to primary care, 38 (20%) stopped AIT definitively and 111 (58%) maintained administrations in the hospital. Only 2 (2%) of them had reactions upon reinitiation. 
Conclusion: In this study, the ultra-rush protocol using polymerized extracts was safe in pediatric patients. Although the effectiveness of AIT may be compromised due to prolonged suspension of the treatment, it is important to note that despite longer interruptions, administrations may continue without compromising safety, maintaining shorter visits and a lower number of injections.

Read Full Article HTML DOI: 10.29328/journal.jcavi.1001008 Cite this Article Read Full Article PDF

Keywords:

Coronavirus; Safety; Time of administration; Subcutaneous immunotherapy; Pediatric patients

References

  1. Alvaro-Lozano M, Akdis CA, Akdis M, Alviani C, Angier E, Arasi S, Arzt-Gradwohl L, Barber D, Bazire R, Cavkaytar O, Comberiati P, Dramburg S, Durham SR, Eifan AO, Forchert L, Halken S, Kirtland M, Kucuksezer UC, Layhadi JA, Matricardi PM, Muraro A, Ozdemir C, Pajno GB, Pfaar O, Potapova E, Riggioni C, Roberts G, Rodríguez Del Río P, Shamji MH, Sturm GJ, Vazquez-Ortiz M. EAACI Allergen Immunotherapy User's Guide. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2020 May;31 Suppl 25(Suppl 25):1-101. doi: 10.1111/pai.13189. PMID: 32436290; PMCID: PMC7317851.
  2. Jutel M, Kosowska A, Smolinska S. Allergen Immunotherapy: Past, Present, and Future. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2016 May;8(3):191-7. doi: 10.4168/aair.2016.8.3.191. PMID: 26922928; PMCID: PMC4773206.
  3. Halken S, Larenas-Linnemann D, Roberts G, Calderón MA, Angier E, Pfaar O, Ryan D, Agache I, Ansotegui IJ, Arasi S, Du Toit G, Fernandez-Rivas M, Geerth van Wijk R, Jutel M, Kleine-Tebbe J, Lau S, Matricardi PM, Pajno GB, Papadopoulos NG, Penagos M, Santos AF, Sturm GJ, Timmermans F, van Ree R, Varga EM, Wahn U, Kristiansen M, Dhami S, Sheikh A, Muraro A. EAACI guidelines on allergen immunotherapy: Prevention of allergy. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2017 Dec;28(8):728-745. doi: 10.1111/pai.12807. Epub 2017 Oct 27. PMID: 28902467.
  4. Alvaro-Lozano M, Akdis CA, Akdis M, Alviani C, Angier E, Arasi S, Arzt-Gradwohl L, Barber D, Bazire R, Cavkaytar O, Comberiati P, Dramburg S, Durham SR, Eifan AO, Forchert L, Halken S, Kirtland M, Kucuksezer UC, Layhadi JA, Matricardi PM, Muraro A, Ozdemir C, Pajno GB, Pfaar O, Potapova E, Riggioni C, Roberts G, Rodríguez Del Río P, Shamji MH, Sturm GJ, Vazquez-Ortiz M. EAACI Allergen Immunotherapy User's Guide. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2020 May;31 Suppl 25(Suppl 25):1-101. doi: 10.1111/pai.13189. PMID: 32436290; PMCID: PMC7317851.
  5. Morais-Almeida M, Arêde C, Sampaio G, Borrego LM. Ultrarush schedule of subcutaneous immunotherapy with modified allergen extracts is safe in paediatric age. Asia Pac Allergy. 2016 Jan;6(1):35-42. doi: 10.5415/apallergy.2016.6.1.35. Epub 2016 Jan 27. PMID: 26844218; PMCID: PMC4731479.
  6. Pfaar O, Bachert C, Bufe A, Buhl R, Ebner C, Eng P, Friedrichs F, Fuchs T, Hamelmann E, Hartwig-Bade D, Hering T, Huttegger I, Jung K, Klimek L, Kopp MV, Merk H, Rabe U, Saloga J, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Schuster A, Schwerk N, Sitter H, Umpfenbach U, Wedi B, Wöhrl S, Worm M, Kleine-Tebbe J, Kaul S, Schwalfenberg A. Guideline on allergen-specific immunotherapy in IgE-mediated allergic diseases: S2k Guideline of the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI), the Society for Pediatric Allergy and Environmental Medicine (GPA), the Medical Association of German Allergologists (AeDA), the Austrian Society for Allergy and Immunology (ÖGAI), the Swiss Society for Allergy and Immunology (SGAI), the German Society of Dermatology (DDG), the German Society of Oto- Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (DGHNO-KHC), the German Society of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ), the Society for Pediatric Pneumology (GPP), the German Respiratory Society (DGP), the German Association of ENT Surgeons (BV-HNO), the Professional Federation of Paediatricians and Youth Doctors (BVKJ), the Federal Association of Pulmonologists (BDP) and the German Dermatologists Association (BVDD). Allergo J Int. 2014;23(8):282-319. doi: 10.1007/s40629-014-0032-2. PMID: 26120539; PMCID: PMC4479478.
  7. Carneiro-Leão L, Amaral L, Coimbra A, Plácido JL. Real-life experience of an allergy and clinical immunology department in a Portuguese reference COVID-19 hospital. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2020 Nov-Dec;8(10):3671-3672. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.08.042. Epub 2020 Sep 2. PMID: 32890757; PMCID: PMC7467073.
  8. Larenas-Linnemann DE, Epstein T, Ponda P, Bernstein D, Williams P, Creticos P. Gaps in allergen immunotherapy administration and subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy dose adjustment schedules: Need for prospective data. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2020 Nov;125(5):505-506.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2020.07.015. Epub 2020 Jul 18. PMID: 32693206; PMCID: PMC7368643.

Figures:

Similar Articles

Recently Viewed

  • Unveiling Disparities in WHO Grade II Glioma Care among Physicians in Middle East and North African (MENA) Countries: A Multidisciplinary Survey
    Fatimah M Kaabi, Layth Mula-Hussain*, Shakir Al-Shakir, Sultan Alsaiari, Leonidas Chelis, Renda AlHabib, Sara Owaidah, Renad Subaie, Marwah M Abdulkader and Ibrahim Alotain Fatimah M Kaabi,Layth Mula-Hussain*,Shakir Al-Shakir,Sultan Alsaiari,Leonidas Chelis,Renda AlHabib,Sara Owaidah,Renad Subaie,Marwah M Abdulkader,Ibrahim Alotain. Unveiling Disparities in WHO Grade II Glioma Care among Physicians in Middle East and North African (MENA) Countries: A Multidisciplinary Survey. Arch Cancer Sci Ther. 2026: doi: 10.29328/journal.acst.1001048; 10: 001-005
  • Obstructive Pyelonephritis Due to Postoperative Ureteral Stricture: A Case Report
    Ayoub Mamad*, Mohammed Amine Elafari, Mohammed Amine Bibat, Midaoui Moncef, Amine Slaoui, Tarik Karmouni, Abdelatif Koutani and Khalid Elkhader Ayoub Mamad*,Mohammed Amine Elafari,Mohammed Amine Bibat,Midaoui Moncef,Amine Slaoui,Tarik Karmouni,Abdelatif Koutani,Khalid Elkhader. Obstructive Pyelonephritis Due to Postoperative Ureteral Stricture: A Case Report. J Clin Med Exp Images. 2026: doi: 10.29328/journal.jcmei.1001039; 10: 003-005
  • Febrile Lumbar Pain Revealing a Massive Collection: Complicated Psoas Abscess Managed Surgically
    Mohammed Amine Elafari*, Mamad Ayoub, Mohammed Amine Bibat, Rhayour Anas, Maachi Youssef, Amine Slaoui, Tarik Karmouni, Abdelatif Koutani and Khalid Elkhader Mohammed Amine Elafari*,Mamad Ayoub,Mohammed Amine Bibat,Rhayour Anas,Maachi Youssef,Amine Slaoui,Tarik Karmouni,Abdelatif Koutani,Khalid Elkhader. Febrile Lumbar Pain Revealing a Massive Collection: Complicated Psoas Abscess Managed Surgically. J Clin Med Exp Images. 2026: doi: 10.29328/journal.jcmei.1001041; 10: 010-012
  • Bilateral Severe Encrustation of Long-Term Indwelling Double-J Stents in a Young Non-Lithiasic Patient
    Mohammed Amine Elafari*, Mamad Ayoub, Mohammed Amine Bibat, Maachi Youssef, Amine Slaoui, Tarik Karmouni, Abdelatif Koutani and Khalid Elkhader Mohammed Amine Elafari*,Mamad Ayoub,Mohammed Amine Bibat,Maachi Youssef,Amine Slaoui,Tarik Karmouni,Abdelatif Koutani,Khalid Elkhader. Bilateral Severe Encrustation of Long-Term Indwelling Double-J Stents in a Young Non-Lithiasic Patient. J Clin Med Exp Images. -0001: doi: 10.29328/journal.jcmei.1001042; 10: 013-015
  • Looking Beyond Common Causes of Renal Dysfunction: Renal GVHD and Thrombotic Microangiopathy after Allogeneic Transplant
    Taner Tan*, Ahmet Umur Topcu, Erdem Cig, Dilek Ertoy Baydar and Sinem Civriz Bozdag Taner Tan*,Ahmet Umur Topcu,Erdem Cig,Dilek Ertoy Baydar,Sinem Civriz Bozdag. Looking Beyond Common Causes of Renal Dysfunction: Renal GVHD and Thrombotic Microangiopathy after Allogeneic Transplant. Insights Clin Cell Immunol. 2026: doi: ; 10: 001-003

Read More

Most Viewed

Read More

Help ?