A meta-analysis investigating the efficacy and safety of allergen-specific immunotherapy in the management of respiratory allergies

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flow diagram of articles and studies selection process.

Table 1. Characteristics of included study.

Study	Year	Type of study	Patients	Sample sizes	Respiratory allergy	Immuno-therapy	Outcomes
Calamita et al. (8)	2006	RCT, DBPC	Adults and children	25 studies with 1706 patients	Asthma	SLIT	②③④
Calderon et al. (9)	2007	RCT, DBPC	Adults	21 studies with 2871 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SCIT	②④⑥
Chen et al (10)	2020	RCT, DBPC	Children	16 studies with 1736 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SLIT	②③
Compalati et al. (11)	2009	RCT, DBPC	Adults and children	12 studies with 505 patients	Asthma、Allergic rhinitis	SLIT	②
Dhami et al. (12)	2017	RCT, DBPC	Adults and children	15 studies	Asthma	SLIT/SCIT	②③⑦
Di Bona et al. (13)	2012	RCT, DBPC	Adults and children	36 studies with 5782 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SLIT/SCIT	②
Dranitsaris et al. (14)	2014	RCT, DBPC	Adults and children	20 studies	Allergic rhinitis	SLIT/SCIT	③
Feng et al. (15)	2017	RCT	Children	26 studies with 2917 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SLIT	②
Feng et al. (16)	2014	RCT	Adults and children	8 studies with 567 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SCIT	①②③
Li et al. (17)	2018	RCT	Adults	7 studies with 2723 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SLIT	①⑤
Liao et al. (18)	2015	RCT	Children	11 studies with 454 patients	Asthma	SLIT	①②③⑤⑥
Lu et al. (19)	2015	RCT	Adults and children	19 studies with 796 patients	Asthma	SCIT	①②③⑥⑦
Normansell et al. (20)	2015	RCT	Adults and children	52 studies with 5077 patients	Asthma	SLIT	②③
Penagos et al. (11)	2006	RCT, DBPC	Children	10 studies with 577 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SLIT	①②
Radulovic et al. (21)	1996	RCT, DBPC	Adults and children	49 studies with 4589 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SLIT	①②⑤⑥
Tao et al. (22)	2014	RCT, DBPC	Adults and children	16 studies with 794 patients	Asthma	SLIT	①②③⑤⑥⑦
Tie et al. (23)	2021	RCT	Adults	39 studies	Allergic rhinitis	SLIT/SCIT	②④
Wilson et al. (24)	2005	RCT, DBPC	Adults and children	22 studies with 979 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SLIT	①②⑤⑥
Penagos et al. (25)	2008	RCT, DBPC	Children	9 studies with 441 patients	Asthma	SLIT	②
Abramson et al. (26)	2010	RCT	Adults and children	75 studies with 3506 patients	Asthma	SIT	②⑦
Olaguibel et al. (27)	2005	RCT, DBPC	Children	7 studies with 256 patients	Allergic rhinitis/Asthma	SLIT
Werner et al. (28)	2021	RCT, DBPC	Adults and children	17 studies with 690 patients	Allergic rhinitis	ILIT	④
Zhu et al. (29)	2022	RCT, DBPC	Adults	4 studies with 134 patients	Allergic rhinitis	SCIT	③④
Hoang et al. (30)	2021	RCT	Adults	10 studies with 483 patients	Allergic rhinitis	ILIT	②④⑤⑥
Aini et al. (31)	2021	RCT	Adults	11 studies with 452 patients	Allergic rhinitis	ILIT	①②④

① Symptom scores; ② Medication scores; ③ Adverse events; ④ Symptoms plus medication; ⑤ IgE levels; ⑥ IgG4 levels; ⑦ FEV1.

Figure 2. The effectiveness of specific immunotherapy (SIT) on symptom scores. Results of the meta-analysis summarized in terms of effect size on symptoms. CI indicates confidence interval; SLIT, sublingual immunotherapy; SCIT, subcutaneous immunotherapy; and SMD, standardized mean difference.

Figure 3. Forest plot of (a) medication score, (b) adverse events, and (c) the symptoms plus medication from the meta-analysis.

Figure 4. Forest plot of the (a) IgE levels, (b) IgG4 levels, and (c) FEV1 levels from the meta-analysis.

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Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.