Safety of specific sublingual immunotherapy with SQ standardized grass allergen tablets in children

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2007 Sep;18(6):516-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2007.00556.x.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to confirm the safety of an orodispersible grass allergen tablet 75,000 SQ-T (Grazax, ALK-Abelló A/S, Hørsholm, Denmark) in children aged 5-12 yr. The study was randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled. Sixty children aged 5-12 yr suffering from grass pollen-induced rhinoconjunctivitis (with or without asthma) from five centres in two countries (three in Germany and two in Spain) participated in the study. They were randomized at the ratio of 3:1 as receiving either Grazax or placebo tablet given sublingually once daily for 28 days outside the grass pollen season. A total of 810 treatment-related adverse events were reported in the Grazax group. The majority of these were local reactions in the mouth or throat and were mostly mild (71%) to moderate (27%) in severity and resolved within days. Thirty-five (78%) subjects treated with Grazax and five (33%) treated with placebo reported at least one treatment-related adverse event. Oral pruritus, throat irritation, mouth oedema and ear pruritus appeared as the most frequently reported treatment-related adverse events. 62% (28 of 45) of the actively treated subjects reported oral pruritus, 36% (16 of 45) throat irritation, 31% (14 of 45) mouth oedema and 22% (10 of 45) ear pruritus. Two actively treated subjects withdrew from the study: one subject due to four adverse events (moderate eye pruritus, moderate pharyngolaryngeal pain, moderate non-cardiac chest pain and moderate dysphagia) and one subject due to a serious adverse event (asthmatic attack). The subjects recovered completely from the events. In conclusion, in the present study, Grazax was in general tolerated in a paediatric population and considered suitable for further clinical investigations in children.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Sublingual
  • Allergens / administration & dosage*
  • Allergens / adverse effects
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Conjunctivitis, Allergic / immunology
  • Conjunctivitis, Allergic / therapy*
  • Desensitization, Immunologic / adverse effects
  • Desensitization, Immunologic / methods*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Poaceae / immunology*
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / immunology
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / therapy*
  • Spain
  • Tablets
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Tablets