House Dust Mite Sublingual Immunotherapy With Standardized Vaccines: Prescription and Adverse Events

Background: The sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) was introduced as an alternative to subcutaneous route. During 2009 Cuba achieved the first standardized allergen vaccines, especially for the sublingual route: VALERGEN. SLIT is now considered the most widespread form of IT in our Allergy Services. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the prescription and adverse events of sublingual immunotherapy using standardized vaccines for three domestic mite species.

Methods: A descriptive and cross sectional study was performed at the allergy service of Calixto García Hospital, in Havana, Cuba, from January to September, 2010. The investigation included 130 patients, children and adults, under SLIT treatment with three extracts: VALERGEN-DP (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus), VALERGEN-DS (Dermatophagoides siboney) and VALERGEN-BT (Blomia tropicalis).

Results: Age distribution: mean 19.6 years (range 1-75); 40.7 % were younger than 18 years old. The most prescribed vaccine was VALERGEN-DP was followed by VALERGEN-BT, which is roughly in correspondence with the prevalence of sensitization to the corresponding mite species in Cuba. The multiallergen vaccines were the most used (63.8%), with two to three mite species and the 71 % of cases were in the maintenance phase. Only 4 adverse events were reported (3.1% of patients), all local, mild and not requiring treatment or change of vaccination dosing or schedule.

Conclusions: The multiallergen vaccines were the most prescribed, prevailing VALERGEN DP and VALERGEN BT. VALERGEN sublingual allergen vaccines are safe and well-tolerated by patients in the routine treatment conditions.