Sublingual immunotherapy by means of disposable single-dose containers - Tolerability and acceptance in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis due to grass pollen

Background: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is appropriate for home treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and allergic bronchial asthma. This study investigated patient acceptance and tolerability of a new SLIT treatment. Methods/Data base: This observational cohort study included 177 patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or allergic bronchial asthma. Patients self-administered SLIT drops during an initial updosing and treatment phase, and an optional maintenance treatment phase. Patient acceptance and tolerability of SLIT were recorded through physician assessment and patients' diaries after each phase. Data are presented using summary statistics. Statistical estimates (chi(2) and U test) examined differences between age groups (<= 14 and >= 15 years). Results: 90.2% of patients completed the initial updosing and treatment phase; median treatment duration was 154 days. Adverse drug reactions were recorded in 14 patients, only I event was serious. Over 90% of patients and physicians rated the tolerability of SLIT as good or very good both in the initial phase and the maintenance phase. Patients' acceptance of SLIT treatment was high: Handling and once-daily dosing was particularly acceptable in the initial phase (50.9% and 47.9% of patients, respectively, rated their satisfaction as very good). The percentage of patients responding to different eye and nose symptoms ranged from 69.6% to 80.9%. The proportion of patients receiving any symptomatically effective medication decreased from 93.8% to 59.4% in patients aged <= 14 years, and from 91.2% to 61.4% in patients aged >= 15 years. Conclusions: This observational study reported a high level of patient acceptance and tolerability with SLIT treatment in a predominantly young population.