Results
Title

The effect of the standard length of the first prescription on the adherence to sublingual immunotherapy for patients with allergic rhinitis.

Authors

Jin, Mao; Zhang, Lei; Zhou, Guojin; Zhang, Shoude; Li, Xuan; Hu, Sunhong

Abstract

Background: Poor adherence to sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has become a major cause of unsatisfactory clinical efficacy for patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). This study was designed to identify the effect of different first prescription lengths on the adherence to SLIT. Methods: The clinical data of 306 patients with AR who started SLIT between January 2017 and June 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the length of their first prescription (group A: less than 3 months, group B: 3 to 6 months, group C: more than 6 months). The numbers of adherent or nonadherent patients in each group and the main reasons of nonadherence were analyzed. Results: Groups A, B, and C included 102, 161, and 43 patients, respectively. The average lengths of the first prescription for group A, B, and C were 62.52 ± 17.63, 102.21 ± 9.22, and 189.07 ± 17.97 days. There were significance differences among the 3 groups (p < 0.05). There were 42 (41.18%), 112 (69.57%), and 37 (86.05%) adherent patients in group A, B, and C. There were 60 (58.82%), 49 (30.43%), and 6 (13.95%) nonadherent patients in group A, B, and C. There were significant differences in the proportions of adherent and nonadherent patients among the 3 groups (p < 0.05). The following reasons were cited for nonadherence to SLIT: the long course of SLIT; inconvenience of getting the prescription; ineffectiveness; side effects; and other reasons. Conclusion: Under certain conditions, 6 months is recommended as the standard length for the first prescription, which can significantly improve adherence to SLIT in patients with AR.

Subjects

SUBLINGUAL immunotherapy; ALLERGIC rhinitis; PATIENT compliance; PRESCRIPTION writing; DRUG side effects

Publication

International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, 2020, Vol 10, Issue 6, p768

ISSN

2042-6976

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.1002/alr.22553