A multicenter trial of specific local nasal immunotherapy

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of specific local nasal immuno therapy (LNIT) in powder form in patients with allergic rhinitis, using sub jective and objective parameters, Study Design: A double-blind randomized m ulticenter trial of 102 patients with allergic rhinitis who were treated wi th specific LNIT for 8 consecutive months, Methods: After identifying aller gens with the skin prick test and sensitization threshold dose with the spe cific nasal provocation test, 102 patients were selected, of whom 55 were a llergic to mites and 47 were allergic to Graminaceae or Parietaria pollen, The specific treatments were self-administered using an insufflator in two phases (phase 1: increasing doses; phase: 2, maintenance dose). Patients we re evaluated before and after 32 weeks of treatment by subjective analysis of their self-reported symptoms and by objective analysis of nasal provocat ion test, nasal resistance by anterior rhinomanometry, and mucociliary clea rance time, Results: Clinical efficacy of LNIT for allergy to mites and pol lens was confirmed by the differences in the symptoms score between the act ive group and the placebo group. The nasal provocation test results confirm ed that this difference was statistically significant, The rhinomanometric analysis gave positive results for the treated group mainly in LNIT for mit es. No differences in mucociliary clearance time were found. Conclusions: S pecific LNIT is effective for allergic rhinitis and appears to offer consid erable advantages over other hyposensitization methods, It can be done at h ome, patient compliance is good, and the treatment is safe.