TY - JOUR
T1 - Fire ant Immunotherapy with inteRvals Extended to 12 weekS
T2 - The FIRES study
AU - Neaves, Brittanie
AU - Adams, Karla
AU - Smith, Derek
AU - Schapira, Rebecca
AU - Ocampo, Thad
AU - White, Kevin
AU - Waibel, Kirk
AU - Tankersley, Michael
AU - Stokes, Shayne
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - Background: There are no studies describing 12-week extended maintenance interval (EMI) immunotherapy (IT) efficacy in preventing anaphylaxis to imported fire ant (IFA) stings. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of 12-week maintenance intervals in patients treated with IFA IT. Methods: After a minimum of 3 months of conventional maintenance interval IT and verification of baseline efficacy, adults with IFA hypersensitivity were prospectively enrolled and extended their maintenance doses to 6-, 8-, and 12-week intervals. Efficacy was confirmed by means of an annual IFA sting challenge. Results: A total of 25 patients initiated EMI. The severity of their initial systemic reactions was mild in 8 patients (32%), moderate in 10 patients (40%), and severe in 7 patients (28%). Maintenance IT duration at trial entry was less than 3 years in 18 patients (mean 11 months; range 3-28 months), 3 to 5 years in 4 patients (mean 46 months; range 36-57 months), and greater than 5 years in 5 patients (mean 111 months; range 67-197 months). The treatment cohort did not experience systemic reactions to extended interval injections, cluster refill injections, field stings, or sting challenges. Conclusion: This prospective longitudinal cohort study revealed that in adults 18 years old or older who have received at least 3 months of maintenance dose IFA–whole body extract IT with proven efficacy, extension to a 12-week EMI is a safe effective treatment option. The benefits of EMI include a reduced number of injections, clinic visits, and lapses in maintenance IT.
AB - Background: There are no studies describing 12-week extended maintenance interval (EMI) immunotherapy (IT) efficacy in preventing anaphylaxis to imported fire ant (IFA) stings. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of 12-week maintenance intervals in patients treated with IFA IT. Methods: After a minimum of 3 months of conventional maintenance interval IT and verification of baseline efficacy, adults with IFA hypersensitivity were prospectively enrolled and extended their maintenance doses to 6-, 8-, and 12-week intervals. Efficacy was confirmed by means of an annual IFA sting challenge. Results: A total of 25 patients initiated EMI. The severity of their initial systemic reactions was mild in 8 patients (32%), moderate in 10 patients (40%), and severe in 7 patients (28%). Maintenance IT duration at trial entry was less than 3 years in 18 patients (mean 11 months; range 3-28 months), 3 to 5 years in 4 patients (mean 46 months; range 36-57 months), and greater than 5 years in 5 patients (mean 111 months; range 67-197 months). The treatment cohort did not experience systemic reactions to extended interval injections, cluster refill injections, field stings, or sting challenges. Conclusion: This prospective longitudinal cohort study revealed that in adults 18 years old or older who have received at least 3 months of maintenance dose IFA–whole body extract IT with proven efficacy, extension to a 12-week EMI is a safe effective treatment option. The benefits of EMI include a reduced number of injections, clinic visits, and lapses in maintenance IT.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85166341322&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.anai.2023.06.027
DO - 10.1016/j.anai.2023.06.027
M3 - Article
C2 - 37454809
AN - SCOPUS:85166341322
SN - 1081-1206
VL - 131
SP - 513
EP - 520
JO - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
JF - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
IS - 4
ER -