Clinical efficacy of sublingual allergen‐specific immunotherapy in 22 cats with atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Background-Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been deployed in humans and dogs; to the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no published studies about the use of SLIT in cats. Objectives-Evaluate the clinical efficacy of SLIT in atopic cats sensitized to dust and storage mites, assessing immunological changes associated with SLIT treatment. Animals-Twenty-two client-owned cats with clinical signs compatible with feline atopic dermatitis (fAD) and serum allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E against house dust and storage mites. Methods and materials-Prospective, multicentre, open-label clinical trial. Individualized mite-specific SLIT was administered orally for 12 months. All cats underwent clinical examination to record SCORing feline allergic dermatitis (SCORFAD), pruritus Visual Analog Scale (pVAS) and serum allergen-specific IgE and IgG, every three months for 12 months. Results-Sixteen of 22 cats (73%) completed the study and three of six cats withdrawn from the study were included in an intention-to-treat analysis. SCORFAD and pVAS values decreased significantly from baseline (T0) to the third month of treatment (P = 0.0004 and P = 0.0013, respectively), with median total values ranging from 19 (6-44) (T0) to 2.5 (0-17) (T12) (P = 0.0001), and from 8 (6-10) (T0) to 2.3 (0-8) (T12) (P = 0.0001), respectively. Allergen-specific IgE values decreased significantly from the ninth month (T9) of treatment (P = 0.0032), with median scores decreasing from 56 (12-729) (T0) to 34 (0-158) (T12) (P = 0.0208). No significant differences in allergen-specific IgG values were observed throughout the study. No adverse effects related to the use of SLIT were reported. Conclusions and clinical importance-Sublingual immunotherapy should be considered a rapid, effective, safe and well-tolerated treatment in cats with feline atopic dermatitis fAD.

Open trial of recombinant Der f 2 pullulan‐conjugated immunotherapy in cats

“…Protocols such as rush immunotherapy (RI) were studied in two publications, 8,37 yet the number of patients included was limited. The only study which analysed the sublingual administration route (SLIT) in 22 cats reported clinical improvement during the first three months of treatment in the vast majority of included cats 38 . A fast onset of action may have a positive impact on both the patient's wellbeing and the owner's motivation to use the treatment.…”

Atopic Dermatitis in Domestic Animals: What Our Current Understanding Is and How This Applies to Clinical Practice

“…There are few studies on allergen-specific immunotherapy in cats with skin disease. A recently published study reported on the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy in atopic cats sensitized to dust and storage mites [ 118 ]. In this prospective open label study, immunotherapy was given for 12 months and monitoring of IgE and IgG was done at various intervals.…”

Nothrus mite as a potential cause of exacerbation of pruritus in a cat

“…7 Indeed, an exaggerated immunological reaction against environmental allergens, including specifically from HDM and storage mites, is also considered to be associated with between 12% and 32% of all feline dermatological cases, and also with the common inflammatory pruritic disease, feline atopic skin syndrome. 8,9 In this short communication we wish to alert veterinarians and other interested parties to the potential for another, apparently non-parasitic, mite that exacerbates pruritus in cats.…”

“…7 Indeed, an exaggerated immunological reaction against environmental allergens, including specifically from HDM and storage mites, is also considered to be associated with between 12% and 32% of all feline dermatological cases, and also with the common inflammatory pruritic disease, feline atopic skin syndrome. 8,9…”