Efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy in asthmatic patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K09554
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Respiratory organ internal medicine
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Ito Jun 順天堂大学, 医学部, 助教 (80747692)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 原田 紀宏 順天堂大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10465065)
• Research Collaborator: SANDHU yuki ; TAKESHIGE tomohito ; HARADA sonoko ; MATSUNO kei
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: スギ花粉症 / 気管支喘息 / アレルギー性鼻炎 / 舌下免疫療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Allergic rhinitis may increase the risk of developing or worsening asthma, which is the allergic condition most frequently associated with allergic rhinitis. The prevalence of asthma is higher among patients with allergic rhinitis than among patients without allergic rhinitis. In the present study, we investigated whether sublingual immunotherapy for Japanese cedar pollinosis using a single cedar antigen extract reduce the risk of experiencing asthma symptoms. Data from the one-year sublingual immunotherapy in patients with both Japanese cedar pollen allergic rhinitis and asthma demonstrated that a sublingual immunotherapy clinically improved rhinitis symptoms and asthma symptoms with significant reductions in airway resistance.

Free Research Field

呼吸器内科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

スギ花粉症患者は日本国内では非常に高率に存在するが、スギが分布していない諸外国ではスギ花粉の飛散が少ないため、スギ花粉症と喘息との関連に関する研究に乏しい。また、スギ花粉舌下免疫療法がアレルギー性鼻炎と喘息を一剤で同時に治療できることが証明され、喘息治療の新たな選択肢として確立されることは、単に治療選択肢が増えるだけでなく医療費の削減にもつながる。このため、スギ花粉症合併喘息患者を対象としたスギ花粉舌下免疫療法に関する本研究の実施は、われわれ日本人にとって重要な研究である。