Highlights del XXXVII congresso nazionale SIAAIC meets WAO - Shape the future across all ages

Allergies, together with immunological disorders and asthmatic pathology, affect millions of people in Italy indiscriminately in both paediatric and adult age, using many medical and economic resources of our health system. Among the most common forms of allergies treated in Italy, at hospital, university and private institutes, there are: respiratory allergies (asthma and rhinitis), food allergies, skin allergies (atopic dermatitis, angioedema, urticaria), drug allergies, and reactions to hymenoptera venom. All these diseases can occur in mild and moderate forms, but sometimes also in severe forms such as systemic anaphylaxis and severe asthma, which can be life-threatening for those affected.

This year, the XXXVII National Congress of the SIAAIC was enriched thanks to the collaboration with the World Allergy Organisation (WAO), allowing for an in-depth study and comparison between internationally renowned experts in allergic diseases, especially in their most complex aspects. In addition to age and exposure, the environment is a significant risk factor for allergic and immunological diseases, influenced by climate change and pollution. Several sessions were devoted to the topic of the influence of climate change on the onset and severity of allergic and immunological diseases, both in the autoimmune and allergological fields.

Special attention was paid to rare diseases (vasculitis, EGPA, EES, immunodeficiencies, mastocytosis, angioedema) and autoimmune diseases, with a special focus on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. In addition, another topic of great interest was the study of allergic disease and symptom burden, which are crucial in the shared decision-making of diagnostic pathways and patient treatment. Various immunopathogenetic processes were discussed as well as how the identification of cellular and molecular mechanisms can lead to precise phenotypic and endotypic diagnoses, useful for determining new therapeutic targets.

Finally, special attention was paid to the innovations offered by artificial intelligence in medicine. The choice of new algorithms, the increasing use of biological drugs with monoclonal antibodies and specific immunotherapy will be the focus of discussion. These approaches represent fundamental treatments for allergic diseases and offer the possibility of disease remission, an ambitious goal for allergo-immunology specialists.