title: Sublingual immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
abstract: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a well-established treatment option for allergic rhinitis in several European countries, but it is considered investigational in the United States. Studies conducted in Europe provided a large body of evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of SLIT, but those studies used allergen products that are different from those that are likely to be approved in the United States, and many of them were not controlled, randomized, double-blinded trials. This review summarize research conducted on the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of SLIT published during the past year, with a focus on ragweed and grass antigens. Results of recent US studies document the safety and efficacy of SLIT and have started to yield insight into the mechanisms of SLIT.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Allegheny General Hospital, 320 East North Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, USA. dgentile@wpahs.org
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Skoner
mesh_terms: D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000485:Allergens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000628:therapy*; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000628:therapy*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens