Skip to content

Welcome

Celebrating Over 80 Years Of Service!

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) represents over 2,700 Board-certified otolaryngologists and health care providers. Otolaryngology, frequently referred to as Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT), uniquely combines medical and surgical expertise to care for patients with a variety of conditions affecting the ears, nose, and throat, as well as commonly related conditions. AAOA members devote part of their practice to the diagnosis and treatment of allergic disease. The AAOA actively supports its membership through education, research, and advocacy in the care of allergic patients.

"Advance the comprehensive management of allergy and inflammatory disease in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery through training, education, and advocacy."

AAOA Member Benefits

  • Up to 60% discount for CME programs and free Annual Meeting. All AAOA’s CME programs meet ABOTOHNS Continuing Certification.
  • AAOA US ENT Affinity program, where AAOA members can gain savings on antigen, allergy supplies, and any of the other 5 service lines US ENT offers. For more email info@usentpartners.com.
  • Tools and resources to comply with US General Chapter 797 and practice management tools.
  • Advocacy support.
  • And much more! Learn More

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT CORNER

As part of our on-going member support, we are introducing a new website feature to help with common practice management challenges. We welcome your input with questions or challenges you would like to address. Read More

ADVOCACY UPDATES

Upcoming Dates

08/02/24: Scientific Abstract Submission Deadline
Learn more

12/01/24: Research Grant Cycle
Learn more

04/01/25: Fellow Exam Application Deadline
Learn more

06/01/25: Research Grant Cycle
Learn more

EDUCATION

AAOA Annual Meeting

Register for FREE* to attend the 2024 AAOA Annual Meeting in-person, in Las Vegas, or virtually!

*The 2024 AAOA Annual Meeting is FREE to all AAOA members in good standing

RESIDENTS

For information about Resident membership, opportunities, DosedDaily, research grants, and other resources. Learn More

IFAR

Available Now

aaoaf-ifar

IFAR Impact Factor: 2.454

IFAR Featured Content: COVID-19 - Free Access
Endonasal instrumentation and aerosolization risk in the era of COVID‐19: simulation, literature review, and proposed mitigation strategies . Read More

Changes in Managing Practices

Working together with AAOA staff, volunteer leadership and members will enable us to have a positive impact on our members’ practices.

Read More

Live and Online CME

2024 AAOA Annual Meeting - Hybrid
November 8-10, 2024
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas
Learn More and Register 

Coming Soon! New Explorers Course — Hybrid
90-days Access Feb 27 – May 27, 2025 
March 27-29, 2025 - Live
The Hythe, Vail, CO
Learn More and Register

2025 AAOA Basic Course in Allergy & Immunology - Hybrid
90-days Access June 10 – Sep 15, 2025
July 10-12, 2025 - Live
The Chateaux Deer Valley, Park City, UT
Book Your Room

2025 AAOA Annual Meeting - Hybrid, Independent
November 14-16, 2025
The Seabird Resort, Oceanside, CA
(access from San Diego or Santa Anna Airports)


USP 797 Online Module

Learn More and Register

AAOA Educational Stacks
Available Now!

News and Updates

College Allergy Symptoms Treatment Back to Shcool

PRACTICE RESOURCES

AAOA Practice Resource Tool Kit

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) Practice Resource Tool Kit is intended as a guide to help AAOA members integrate allergy into their otolaryngology practice and to continually improve on this integration as new information, regulations, and resources become available.

Read More

PARTNER RESOURCE CENTER

AAOA has launched a Partner Resource Center to bring you partner resources that can assist your practice and patient care.

Visit the New Center>

PATIENT CORNER

Risk Factors for Testing & Immunotherapy

Sampled from the AAOA Clinical Care Guidelines

vials of allergens

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) recognizes the importance of allergy skin testing and immunotherapy in the clinical practice of allergy.

Although felt to be a safe practice in most patients, certain populations need to be given special consideration as they have been identified as being at a higher risk for compli- cations during skin testing and treatment of allergies with immunotherapy. This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list.

Pregnancy

Allergy immunotherapy can be continued during pregnancy. Escalation and skin testing should be avoided.

The most recent update on allergen immunotherapy states that allergen immunotherapy can be continued but is usually not initiated in the pregnant patient. Allergen immunotherapy is usually not initiated during pregnancy because of concerns about the potential for systemic reactions and the resultant adverse effects on the mother and fetus. For this reason, if the patient becomes pregnant during escalation and the dose is unlikely to be therapeutic, discontinuation of immunotherapy should be considered.

Asthma

Asthma patients should be under good asthma control prior to undergoing skin testing or before the initiation or continu- ation of immunotherapy. In asthma patients, consider evaluat- ing lung function prior to administration of immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy is effective in the management of allergic asthma; however, uncontrolled asthma has been repeatedly identified as a high-risk factor for systemic reactions during skin testing and allergen immunotherapy.

The most recent update on allergen immunotherapy states that allergen immunotherapy in asthmatic patients should not be initiated unless the patient’s asthma is stable with phar- macotherapy. It is also recommended that allergy injections should be withheld if the patient presents with an acute asthma exacerbation. Before the administration of an allergy injection, the asthmatic patient should be evaluated for the presence of asthma symptoms. One might consider an objective measure of airway function (peak flow).1, 2

Beta Blockers

The AAOA recognizes that exposure to a beta-adrenergic blocking agents is a risk factor for more serious and treat- ment resistant anaphylaxis. Therefore it is preferable to not perform inhalant skin testing and immunotherapy on patients taking beta blockers.

The balance of possible risks and benefits is not the same for patients with the potential for life-threatening stinging insect reactions who are also taking a beta– blocker. In these patients, the benefits of venom immunotherapy may outweigh any risk associated with concomitant beta-adrenergic blocker admin- istration. The individualized risk/benefits of immunotherapy should be carefully considered in these patients.

Beta blockade can enhance mediator release in the setting of IgE-mediated anaphylactic reactions. Therefore, concom- itant treatment with beta-adrenergic blockers may result in more protracted and difficult to treat anaphylaxis. Studies looking at patients taking ophthalmic and cardio-selective

beta-blockers have found unusually severe anaphylactic reac- tions and for this reason, the absence of increased risk in this population cannot be assumed.3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Other Risk Factors

Other predictors of future allergic reactions include, prior allergic reactions, immunotherapy escalation, first treatment vial and technical (dosing/wrong vial) error.8, 9

Review AAOA’s Clinical Care Statements

References:

  1. Cox L, Nelson H, Lockey, R. Allergen immunotherapy: a practice parameter third update. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011; 127(suppl): S1-55

  2. Lockey RF, et al. Systemic Reactions and fatalities associated with allergen immu- notherapy. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2001; 87:47-55.

  3. Hepner MJ, et al. Risk of systemic reactions in patients taking beta-blocker drugs receiving allergen immunotherapy injections. J Allergy Cl in Immunol 1990;86:407

  4. Lang DM. Do beta-blockers really enhance the risk of anaphylaxis during immuno- therapy? Curr Allerg Asthma Rep 2008; 8:37

  5. Odeh M, Oliven A, Bassan H. Timolol eyedrop-induced fatal bronchospasm in an asthmatic patient. J Fam Pract 1991;32:97-8, NR

  6. Cox L, Nelson H, Lockey, R. Allergen immunotherapy: a practice parameter third update. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;127(suppl):S1-55

  7. Lieberman P, et al. The diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis practice parameter: 2010 Update. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2010;126(3): 477-523

  8. Roy SR. et al. Increased frequency of large local reactions among systemic reac- tors during subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2007; 99:82.

  9. Bernstein DI, et al. Twelve-year survey of fatal reactions to allergen injections and skin testing: 1990-2001. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;113:1129

Member Benefits

International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology (IFAR)

is the official journal of the AAOA and the American Rhinologic Society (ARS). Published monthly by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., IFAR provides a forum for clinical researchers, basic scientists, clinicians, and others to publish original research and explore controversies in the medical and surgical treatment of patients with otolaryngic allergy, rhinologic, and skull base conditions.

Medical therapy for Chronic Rhino-sinusitis

The indications for surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are poorly defined..
Read More

Safety of long-term Intranasal Budesonide

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of long-term topical budesonide treatment via the mucosal atomization device (MAD) on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) and intraocular pressure (IOP).. Read More

News from AAOA Leaders

Allergies, not just for summer anymore.
Read More

How to treat allergies at home.
Read More

Back To Top