Prolonged interval maintenance venom immunotherapy.

A Goldberg; R E Reisman

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PubMed · 2458060

Prolonged interval maintenance venom immunotherapy.

A Goldberg·R E Reisman

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Abstract

Current guidelines recommend indefinite administration of venom immunotherapy at 4-week intervals. To simplify this therapy, we examined the clinical and immunologic response after extending the interval between maintenance venom injections to 6, 8, and 12 weeks. Twenty-six patients who had had sting anaphylaxis and positive skin tests received maintenance bee or yellow jacket venom immunotherapy at greater or equal to 6-week intervals. This extended interval was started after a prior average 4-week maintenance interval of 2.3 years. Injections were given at 6-week intervals to all 26 patients and extended to 8-week intervals in 10, and 12-week intervals in 3 patients. Following venom injections, there were 14 mild local reactions and no systemic reactions. No adjustment in dosing was necessary. While on prolonged interval maintenance venom immunotherapy, there were 17 re-stings in 12 patients with no systemic reactions. During prolonged interval maintenance venom immunotherapy, either the serum venom-specific IgG increased or the already elevated titers remained the same in 18 patients and decreased in 2. In the others, preexisting titers were low and unchanged. Serum venom-specific IgE tended to slowly decrease. These clinical and immunologic data suggest that a 4-week maintenance interval may be safely extended.

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Adolescent Adult Aged Animals Child Epitopes Humans Hypersensitivity Immunoglobulin E Immunotherapy Insect Bites and Stings Insecta Middle Aged Time Factors Venoms Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

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A Goldberg, R E Reisman. 1988. Prolonged interval maintenance venom immunotherapy.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2458060/

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