RESPIRATORY ALLERGIES AND IMMUNOTHERAPIES: THERAPEUTIC MECHANISM AND EFFICACY

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.15951325250214

• Palavras-chave: allergy; respiratory; immunotherapy; treatment

• Keywords: allergy; respiratory; immunotherapy; treatment

• Abstract:

  Immune dysfunction in the body can trigger a wide range of pathological conditions, such as allergic reactions. Asthma and allergic rhinitis are the main respiratory allergies, affecting millions of people. Immunotherapy acts as an effective treatment against respiratory allergies, aiming to stimulate or suppress the immune system to treat specific diseases. The aim is to determine the theoretical basis for the current treatment of respiratory allergies with regard to the use of immunotherapies. This chapter uses an exploratory and descriptive qualitative research with an integrative literature review on immunological therapies. The inclusion criteria were original, peer-reviewed articles focusing on immunological therapies for respiratory allergies, published between 2015 and 2024, in Portuguese and English, with full access. Duplicate articles and those without clinical relevance were excluded; after screening, 14 articles were selected for final analysis.  The studies analyzed show that asthma and allergic rhinitis are the main respiratory allergies in the world, with a strong relationship, since rhinitis can develop into asthma. These allergies are characterized by a type I hypersensitivity reaction mediated by IgE. Specific immunotherapy acts as an alternative to treating these diseases, as it reduces the sensitivity of the immune system to specific allergens, working like an allergen vaccine, promoting immune desensitization and reducing the inflammatory response. Its efficacy has been proven in reducing symptoms and preventing the progression of the disease, with a high potential for improving the quality of life of allergic patients.