According to Spanish researchers, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) may be helpful in cat allergy.Fifty cat allergic patients with rhinoconjunctivitis with or without asthma were included in a RCT of cat SLIT for 1 year: 25 patients received SLIT and 25 placebo, 66% completed the study.
No adverse events were reported. The SLIT group showed a marked reduction (62%) in symptoms with no changes in placebo group. SLIT group also showed a reduced PEF response to cat exposure, and an improvement in skin test reactivity to a standardized cat extract.
Authors concluded that cat SLIT was beneficial in cat allergy.
The general media came up with a much more descriptive headline: Cat dander under tongue curbs allergies.
Fewer than 50% of cat-allergic individuals report direct cat exposure (at home or elsewhere) (JACI, 2012).
References:
Sublingual immunotherapy with a standardized cat dander extract: evaluation of efficacy in a double blind placebo controlled study. E. Álvarez-Cuesta, P. Berges-Gimeno, E. G. Mancebo, E. Fernández-Caldas, J. Cuesta-Herranz, M. Casanovas, Allergy, 07/2007, pages 810–817.
Talking Points on Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) for Physicians Practicing in the United States. ACAAI.
Sublingual immunotherapy is an extremely complex issue in the U.S. - AAAAI http://goo.gl/wVOKr
A small number of people who are allergic to cat may also get allergic reactions when eating pork http://goo.gl/zVSaN
Getting a cat increases allergy risk in adults - getting one in adulthood nearly doubles the risk. Reuters and JACI, 2012.
Dealbreaker: He's Allergic to My Cat. GOOD magazine, 2012.
Image source: Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License.
A small number of people who are allergic to cat may also get allergic reactions when eating pork http://goo.gl/zVSaN
Getting a cat increases allergy risk in adults - getting one in adulthood nearly doubles the risk. Reuters and JACI, 2012.
Dealbreaker: He's Allergic to My Cat. GOOD magazine, 2012.
Image source: Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License.