House Dust Mite Sublingual Immunotherapy in Children Versus Adults With Allergic Rhinitis

Background There are only a few studies in which the clinical efficacy of SLIT has been compared between children and adults. In addition, there is a lack of research on other factors, associated with the treatment, including immunological parameters and quality of life (QOL). Objective To compare the effects of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in adults and children on various factors: clinical efficacy, quality of life (QOL), satisfaction, immunological parameters, and adverse events. Methods Subjects who were sensitized to house dust mites and treated with SLIT for at least 2 years were enrolled. Seventy patients who completed questionnaires measuring nasal symptoms and Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) scores and underwent serologic tests for immunological parameters at initial, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up were selected and divided into two groups based on age: a child group (age 4–12 years, n = 44) and an adult group (age 19–59 years, n = 26). Results The Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) was significantly decreased after 2 years of SLIT in both the child and adult groups (p