The perception of allergen-specific immunotherapy among pediatricians in the primary care setting

Clinical and Molecular Allergy

Giorgio Walter Canonica³  Giovanni Passalacqua³  Carlo Lombardi²  Ermanno Praitano⁴  Paolo Meglio⁵  Massimo Landi¹ 

[1] Italian Federation of Pediatric Primary Care, Turin, Italy;Allergy Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Sant’Orsola-Poliambulanza Hospital, Brescia, Italy;Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, DIMI, IRCCS San Martino Hospital-IST-University of Genoa, Pad.Maragliano, L.go R Benzi 10, Genoa, 16133, Italy;Italian Federation of Pediatric Primary Care, Bari, Italy;Italian Federation of Pediatric Primary Care, Rome, Italy

关键词: Allergen immunotherapy;    Allergic respiratory disease;    Children;    Primary care pediatrician;   

Others  :  1221673
DOI  :  10.1186/s12948-015-0021-0

 received in 2015-03-17, accepted in 2015-05-18,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

Allergic respiratory diseases are constantly increasing in prevalence. Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) represent a valuable therapeutic tool as symptomatic and preventative approach, expecially in children. In Italy, primary care pediatricians (PCP) represent the first-line contact and interface for prescription, use and management of AIT. We attempted to evaluate the perception of AIT practice among PCP.

Methods

A questionnaire was built-up, based on literature, guidelines and with the contribution of pediatricians. The questionnaire, including 12 items, was e-mailed to 180 PCP, randomly chosen from mailing lists. The questionnaire explored the personal perception of AIT, the comparison between subcutaneous and sublingual AIT and the overall awareness about the treatment.

Results

130 questionnaires were eligible for analysis. There was a satisfactory knowledge of the characteristics of AIT, its aims and limits, although the positioning of the treatment in guidelines was insufficiently known. Overall, the prescription of AIT made by other specialists was accepted and agreed (78 %). The majority of pediatricians felt that a more intense divulgation and information about AIT would be needed (90 %).

Conclusion

AIT is in general well known and accepted among PCP, although a more intense divulgation effort is required.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Landi et al.

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