Different Development Forms of Local Allergic Rhinitis towards Birch

Background. Efficacy of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in local allergic rhinitis (LAR) is a new subject of research. The presence of asthmatic symptoms in patients with LAR in the context of AIT is unexplored. Objective. The efficacy and safety of AIT in patients with LAR towards birch pollen were investigated. The possibility of concomitant local allergic asthma in studied patients and the impact of AIT on it were examined. Methods. 36 patients with LAR towards birch were included in three years of AIT in a double-blind, placebo-control study. Primary outcome measurement was the mean changes in the combined symptom and medication scores (CSMSs) after AIT, and the second is the changes in the quality of life (QoL). Skin prick tests, serum, nasal allergen-specific IgE to birch, nasal and bronchial provocation challenge tests with birch allergen, methacholine tests, and spirometry were carried out at baseline and after AIT. Results. Mean CSMSs of three years of AIT were significantly decreased in the active group from 5.88 (range: 4.11-9.01) to 1.98 (range: 1.22-4.51; p