THE ROLE OF IMMUNOTHERAPY IN CHILDHOOD ASTHMA

While immunotherapy has been widely used to treat children with asthma , many issues remain to be resolved concerning the safety and efficacy of immunotherapy in asthmatic children. Studies have suggested that i mmunotherapy should reduce the pulmonary inflammatory response charact eristic of asthma, however, recent clinical trials have often shown li ttle benefit from immunotherapy in children with asthma. One of the mo st interesting questions is whether the early institution of immunothe rapy in high-risk children might reduce the risk of developing asthma. Given the many unresolved issues concerning immunotherapy, as an adju nct to the treatment of asthma, physicians must carefully weigh all th e potential risks and benefits for each patient.