The very first study to consider the effects of patients’ body weight on subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) for asthma found that overweight patients may need greater dosage rates.

In data reported this month at the 2018 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Congress in Orlando, FL, a team of New York-based researchers found that symptoms of asthma were significantly improved in patients of a normal weight group compared to an overweight patient group, when treated with the same dosage of SCIT therapies.

Led by Roshini Kuriakose, MD, of the Department of Medicine at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell, Mahasset, NY, the researchers conducted a retrospective chart review of 43 eligible patients with allergic asthma who were undergoing SCIT therapy.