Expanding Options in House Dust Mite Allergy Immunotherapy: Optimising Individual Patient Outcomes

Abstract

Prof Calderón opened the symposium by noting its overall aim: to improve outcomes in patients with allergic diseases. Currently, patients can wait an average of 8.5 years to see an allergy specialist and this places a significant burden on individuals. Traditional therapeutic management of patients with allergies is suboptimal, and while appropriate use of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) maximises its impact, treatment guidelines are complex. Prof Zieglmayer explained that house dust mite (HDM) allergy is a global problem. Allergic rhinitis (AR) drives asthma, with the highest risk in children. Symptoms associated with AR and allergic rhino-conjunctivitis can be different in children compared with adults and adolescents. A holistic approach is needed that treats not only the classic symptoms of AR, but also the accompanying physical and mental impairment. It is critical that clinicians gain a greater understanding of the unique burden of AR in order to better treat their patients. Prof Gevaert emphasised that precision medicine is key to optimising patient outcomes and that advances have been made in this area, particularly with artificial intelligence. For children, the ultimate aim is to achieve an early diagnosis and use precision medicine for early prevention and treatment with AIT. For adults, better help is required with uncontrolled allergic disease. Precision medicine will make use of all available data to help select patients who are most likely to benefit from AIT. Prof Demoly summarised data from a Phase III randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that demonstrated the efficacy and safety of a 300IR HDM sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablet in adults and adolescents with HDM-associated AR. Concluding, Prof Casale reiterated that AIT is a crucial tool in the therapeutic armamentarium against HDM allergy and should be used for early prevention and early treatment, without delay.