Author/Editor     Kadivec, Saša; Košnik, Mitja
Title     Benefits of venom immunotherapy
Translated title     Korist od imunoterapije otrovom insekata
Type     članek
Vol. and No.     Letnik 145, št. 3/4
Publication year     2017
Volume     str. 173-177
Language     eng, srp
Abstract     Introduction /Objective Allergic reactions to insect stings are medical emergencies that could be prevented by venom immunotherapy (VIT). The main purpose of VIT is to prevent fatal or life - threat ening reactions. We aimed to show the rapidity with which patients experience the benefits of VIT and estimate the number of emergency treatments that are prevented . Methods We reviewed the medical files of patients who started VIT between 2010 and 2014. We calculated the costs of treatment of the sting reactions, the costs of immunotherapy and estimated the costs of the prevented allergic reactions. Results In a cohort of 514 patients (40.9% female, age 47.2-+14.4 years) the cost of treatment of the index sting reaction was 180.4-+166.8 % . During VIT 195 patients experienced 446 field stings. In 86.3% of patients stings were well tolerated, and only patient experienced severe reaction (grade III, according to Mueller). 20.4% of VIT treated patients were stu ng during the first year of VIT and 57.0% during 5 years VIT. The expenditure for 5 years of VIT was 2886 eur per patient, which corresponded to an average of 16.0 emergency treatments for systemic reactions. Conclusion Emergency situations are prevented in a substantial number of venom allergic patients and a beneficial effect was observed already during the first year of VIT.
Keywords     imunologija
alergije
strupi insektov
anafilaksija
zdravljenje
stroški