6. THE PREVENTIVE ROLE OF ALLERGEN-SPECIFIC IMMUNOTHERAPY IN PREVENTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC RHINITIS

THE PREVENTIVE ROLE OF ALLERGEN-SPECIFIC IMMUNOTHERAPY
IN PREVENTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA
IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC RHINITIS

B.B. Ishembekova1, A.N. Sultangazieva2, G.T. Ashyralieva1
Asian International University named after Satkynbai Tentishev
1Department of Therapeutic and Specialized Disciplines
2Department of Interprofessional Disciplines

Abstract
Relevance. Allergic rhinitis is a significant risk factor for the development of bronchial
asthma, with the risk increasing 2–7 times in affected patients. Against the background of rising
allergic disease prevalence associated with urbanization and environmental changes, disease
modifying treatment approaches are of particular importance.
Objective: to analyze the preventive role of Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy (AIT) in
preventing bronchial asthma in patients with Allergic Rhinitis (AR), evaluate its immunological
mechanisms, and provide a comparative description of subcutaneous (SCIT, from English
subcutaneous immunotherapy) and sublingual (SLIT, from English sublingual immunotherapy)
routes of allergen-specific immunotherapy administration.
Materials and Methods: a systematic analysis of publications from PubMed, Scopus,
Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar (2019–2025) was conducted, including systematic
reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials.
Main Results: AIT modulates the immune response through induction of Treg cells, class
switching from IgE to IgG4, and suppression of Th2-mediated inflammation, reducing the short
term risk of bronchial asthma development by 60% (RR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.30–0.54). Both SCIT
and SLIT demonstrate comparable efficacy but differ in safety profile and convenience.
Conclusion: Allergen-specific immunotherapy demonstrates a proven disease-modifying
effect and can be considered a preventive strategy for bronchial asthma in patients with allergic
rhinitis, particularly when initiated early and maintained for an adequate duration.

Keywords: allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, allergen-specific immunotherapy, SCIT,
SLIT, prevention, allergic march.