Sublingual immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis

Abstract

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been recently approved for clinical use in the treatment of respiratory allergy. This paper reviews the data available in literature concerning the efficacy and safety of SLIT in rhinitis. SLIT appears effective and safe both in adults and children, sharing with subcutaneous route the long lasting efficacy, the preventative effect on asthma onset and the mechanisms of action. Sublingual administration represents a valid alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy and seems to be especially promising in the pediatric fields of application. Future research will investigate and settle the optimal maintenance dose, the analysis of the cost/effectiveness ratio, the identification of subsets of patients able to most benefit from either of the 2 routes of administration.