Enhanced Clinical Efficacy of Sublingual Immunotherapy for Japanese Cedar Pollinosis in the Second Year of Treatment.

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is thought to have enhanced efficacy in the second year of treatment. We studied treatment efficacy in both the first and the second years of treatment (2015 and 2016, respectively) in patients who began SLIT in 2014. Methods: We compared 132 patients who underwent SLIT (age, 41.8 ± 17.5 years; male-to-female ratio, 75: 57) and a control group of 56 patients who underwent primary pharmacotherapy (age, 44.9 ± 13.5 years; male-to-female ratio, 25: 31). The study was performed during the peak pollen seasons of 2015 and 2016. Pollen dispersal was similar in 2015 and 2016 (2,509 grains/cm2 and 3,505 grains/cm2, respectively). The clinical efficacy of SLIT was evaluated by assessing nasal and eye symptoms and total symptoms with symptom scores and combined symptom-medication scores, visual analog scale scores, and quality of life (QOL) scores according to the Japanese rhino-conjunctivitis QOL questionnaire (JRQLQ No. 1). QOL was also evaluated with JRQLQ No. 1. The first endpoint was enhanced efficacy of SLIT in the second year compared with that in the first year. Results: With respect to nasal and eye symptoms, the assessments in the primary pharmacotherapy group were unchanged in the second year; however, most of these assessments in the SLIT group demonstrated significantly enhanced efficacy of SLIT in the second year. In QOL of SLIT, only 2 of 17 showed significantly enhanced efficacy of SLIT in the second year. Conclusion: SLIT shows enhanced efficacy in the second year.

CLINICAL EFFICACY OF SUBLINGUAL IMMUNOTHERAPY IN THE SECOND TREATED YEAR FOR 133 PATIENTS WITH JAPANESE CEDAR POLLINOSIS IN 2016.

It past 2 years in 2016 after the first purchase of the drug for sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for Japanese Cedar pollinosis (JCP). PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to clear the clinical efficacy of SLIT in the second treated year by comparing with other therapies, such as subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), or other pharmacotherapy. METHODS: We started SLIT at our clinic in October-December, 2014. We compared the clinical efficacy in 2016, of 133 SLIT with 46 SCIT, 351 primary pharmacotherapy that started therapies before pollen dispersal, 221 pharmacotherapy that started therapies after pollen disposal, or 337 non-treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated with symptom scores and combined symptom-medication scores (SMS), symptoms of nose and eye by visual analog scale (VAS), quality of life (QOL) scores by Japanese rhino-conjunctivitis QOL questionnaire (JRQLQ No1). RESULTS: Fourteen cases by unknown reasons and 3 cases by inevitable reasons were dropped out for 2 years. Both SCIT and SLIT showed good clinical efficacy without significant difference in every assessment. Both SCIT and SLIT were significantly better than other pharmacotherapy in most assessment. Patients, whose symptom scores of nose and eye were 0 or 1 point without any rescue drugs, accounted for 26.3% of total SLIT. CONCLUSION: SLIT in the second treated year showed good clinical efficacy in reducing symptoms and SMS of JCP, and in improving QOL. SLIT was significantly effective compaired with other pharmacotherapies.

Adherence and Clinical Outcome of Sublingual Immunotherapy for Japanese Cedar Pollinosis.

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for Japanese cedar pollinosis is known to be effective. However, better SLIT adherence is needed to improve its safety and efficacy. 　Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate SLIT adherence and its influence on clinical outcome. 　Methods: We conducted a detailed survey of 132 patients who have been receiving SLIT for 2 years on adherence at each visit using both questionnaires and direct calculation from prescription. Questionnaires on total symptoms using the visual analog scale (VAS), face scale, and total nasal symptom medication score (TNSMS) were obtained at the peak season for Japanese cedar pollinosis. 　Results: Good adherence by prescription for 2 years was observed in 83.1% ± 11.7% of patients. The adherence in the second year (80.8% ± 13.6%) was lower than that in the first year (88.5% ± 9.8%). However, adherence by questionnaire was 13.5% higher than that by prescription. VAS of total symptoms and adherence did not correlate; however, evaluations by VAS, face scale, and TNSMS were significantly improved if the adherence cut-off value was set to 70% or 75%. 　Conclusion: Our results suggest that SLIT adherence for Japanese cedar pollinosis is high and adequate adherence is required for better efficacy.