Sublingual Immunotherapy Is Effective for Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma

Specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is effective for allergic rhinitis and asthma and is the only available treatment that has a disease-modifying effect. However, because it requires multiple injections and must be administered in medical settings due to anaphylaxis risk, its use is limited. In Europe, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is used widely and is administered safely and effectively at home. Currently, some U.S. physicians prescribe off-label SLIT by using aqueous extracts (approved for SCIT) as daily sublingual drops.

To evaluate the effectiveness of SLIT with aqueous extracts, researchers performed a systematic review of 63 randomized, placebo-controlled trials that included 5131 children and adults with allergic rhinitis a…