Immunotherapy. Vaccines for allergies
"At the Clinica we carry out treatment with vaccines (immunotherapy) to make the body stop considering the substance causing the allergic reaction to be harmful".
DR. MARÍA JOSÉ GOIKOETXEA LAPRESA SPECIALIST. ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Allergen immunotherapy, commonly known as "vaccines" to treat allergy, remains the only treatment available today capable of modifying the cause of the disease.
Hypoallergenic vaccines decrease the degree of allergy because they significantly reduce the symptoms of conjunctivitis, rhinitis or bronchial asthma. These vaccines are capable of modifying the evolution of the disease and can have a preventive effect on asthma.
Our Immunotherapy Unit has more than 25 years of experience in which thousands of doses have been administered. The facilities are ideal and the schedules are extensive.
Due to the risk of allergic type reactions, which is less than 5%, it is administered in Immunotherapy Units, formed by medical and nursing staff with sufficient experience to manage these treatments.
When are allergy shots indicated?
The allergic reaction consists of our organism perceiving a substance that is not harmful -usually a protein, which we call an allergen- as something harmful.
This contact triggers an exaggerated immune response that manifests itself in various organs of the body.
Vaccines have evolved a lot in recent years: administration patterns are faster and the allergenic extracts used are better standardized and for this reason, they give a lower number of allergic reactions.
Vaccines are especially effective in children. It is very important to point out that it has been demonstrated that immunotherapy prevents what started with a rhinitis from developing into asthma.
Immunotherapy Unit
Our Immunotherapy Unit has more than 20 years of experience in which thousands of doses have been administered.
The facilities are ideal and the schedules: in the morning, from 9:00 to 11:00 and from 13:00 to 14:00; in the afternoon, from 16:00 to 18:15.
Most frequent indications for this treatment:
Do you have any of these diseases?
You may need to be treated with allergy shots
How is allergy immunotherapy performed?
Immunotherapy consists of the periodic administration of an extract to which the patient is allergic, for a period of 3 to 5 years.
It is normally administered subcutaneously.
After that time, the vaccine achieves in a high percentage of people that our organism stops recognizing that substance as harmful and, therefore, the allergic reaction does not occur.
They are especially effective for the treatment of people allergic to wasp stings. They are also beneficial against pollens, mites and animal epithelia.
Vaccines have evolved a lot in recent years:
- Administration patterns are faster and the time of the initiation phase, when the dose administered is increased weekly, has been greatly reduced.
- The allergenic extracts used are better standardized, which means that the difference in the allergenic potency between different lots is less and, therefore, they give a lower number of allergic reactions.
- This standardization entails the knowledge of the quantity of some specific allergens contained in the vaccine.
- In recent years, vaccines have been successfully developed that are administered in the form of sublingual application drops.
- This form of administration has demonstrated efficacy against placebo, but there are practically no studies that compare its efficacy against those of subcutaneous application.
What clinical trials do we have on immunotherapy in Allergology?
Where do we do it?
IN NAVARRE AND MADRID
Department of Allergology
of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra
The Department of Allergy and Immunology of the Clinic is part of the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, composed of the 25 best departments of Allergy in Europe, chosen for their scientific excellence, multidisciplinary work, teaching and international activities.
We have the most advanced diagnostic techniques, we are at the forefront of research and we collaborate with the best experts. We have more than 50 years of experience in the field.
What diseases do we treat?
Why at the Clinica?
- More than 50 years of experience.
- Pioneers in the technique of molecular diagnosis by microarray.
- Nursing specialized in allergic diseases and their care.
Our team of professionals
Allergology specialists with expertise in allergy vaccines
