Internet follow-up can improve the compliance of sublingual immunotherapy in children with allergic rhinitis: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is an effective approach for treating allergic rhinitis in children. Although the curative effect of SLIT is significant, the compliance of patients is poor because of the long treatment time. How to improve patients’ compliance with SLIT is an important clinical problem faced by otolaryngology clinicians. At present, there are few studies on SLIT compliance. The present study aimed to analyze the related factors affecting SLIT compliance in children with allergic rhinitis (AR). METHODS: In total, 153 patients with AR who received SLIT were selected as the study objects. Seventeen patients were excluded from this study.The patients’ demographic, follow-up methods, complications efficacy, compliance data, etc. were collected, and all patients were followed-up regularly. Patients were considered to have poor compliance when they stop taking medication of SLIT. Univariate and multivariable regression analyses were performed to analyze the independent factors influencing SLIT compliance. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed by logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 136 patients were enrolled in this study. The baseline clinical factors of the two groups of follow-up methods were balanced and comparable. Among these, 35 patients (25.7%) ceased SLIT. There was a significant difference in compliance between the Internet follow-up group and the traditional follow-up group (P<0.001). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that SLIT compliance was significantly related to residence (P<0.001), the caregiver’s education level (P<0.001), follow-up methods (P<0.001), and whether the patient also had asthma (P<0.002). In the multivariate regression analysis, it was found that the follow-up methods (OR =7.60, 95% CI: 2.20–26.21, P=0.001) and caregiver’s education level (OR =8.54, 95% CI: 3.04–23.95, P<0.001) were independent factors influencing SLIT compliance after adjusting for residence and whether the patient also had asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that the follow-up methods and the education level of caregivers were independent factors affecting SLIT compliance in children with AR. This study suggested that we should use the Internet follow-up method for children treated with SLIT in the future, and provides a basis for how to improve the compliance of SLIT in children with AR.