Background: Immunotherapy is the only curative treatment recommended for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma, in which small amounts of allergen are administered sublingually or subcutaneously until the maximum tolerated dose has been reached. However, local or systemic adverse reactions (AR) -rarely even fatal- an occur. In Mexico there is no nationwide data on adverse reactions.
Objective: To document the frequency of adverse reactions secondary to skin tests (ST) or immunotherapy (IT) in the allergist's office in Mexico, paying special attention to fatal and near fatal allergic reactions.
Participants and methods: We mailed a survey to all members of the Mexican Colleges of Allergy (CMICA) and Pediatric Allergy (CoMPedIA).
Results: A response rate of 59 (16%) for the adverse reactions part of the questionnaire was obtained from the College members. We found a near fatal reaction rate of 0.005 cases per year per allergy practice for skin testing and the same number -0.005 cases- for immunotherapy. This can be extrapolated to a total of 1.5 cases per year in the whole country of Mexico. No fatalities were reported.
Conclusions: In Mexico the frequency of severe or near fatal adverse reactions to immunotherapy or skin tests is low and no fatal case has been reported till today.