A research duo from the Division of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy Foundation (AAOAF).
Stella Lee, MD, member of the faculty in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Harvard Medical School and a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Emily Moldoff, NP, a nurse practitioner in the Division of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, were awarded the grant to study the effects of sublingual immunotherapy on Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD), a difficult condition to treat.
ETD occurs when the Eustachian tubes—the tubes connecting the middle ear to the back of the throat—stay opened or closed for too long. These tubes help drain liquid from the ears and relieve pressure from the middle ear. Despite a plethora of pharmacological and mechanistic interventions available for treatment, physicians have yet to form a consensus on the single best treatment option.
Immunotherapy, traditionally thought of as “allergy shots” for desensitization, is now available in sublingual formulation (under the tongue) for at-home administration, allowing for increased access for patients who suffer from allergic rhinitis and, potentially, ETD. The FDA has already approved sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablets for dust mite, ragweed and grass allergy.
At Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Lee and Emily plan to test the efficacy and safety of SLIT on a cohort of patients with ETD. Through their study, they hope to demonstrate that using SLIT to treat an underlying dust mite allergy can also help alleviate ETD and otologic symptoms.