Successful immunotherapy. A partnership between consultant and general practitioner.

BACKGROUND

Allergen-specific immunotherapy has been used to treat allergic patients for many decades. Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis, perennial allergic rhinitis, stinging insect allergy and allergic asthma.

OBJECTIVE

This article discusses antigen specific immunotherapy and outlines the conditions that respond well to it.

DISCUSSION

Immunotherapy has the potential to cause immediate systemic reactions which rarely may result in fatal anaphylaxis. Therefore, only practitioners with appropriate training and expertise should make the decision to prescribe immunotherapy based on careful patient selection and extract prescription. Patients receiving this therapy require supervision in a setting with the necessary resuscitation equipment by a practitioner with the skills to recognise and treat adverse events.