title: Sublingual immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization position paper 2013 update.
abstract: We have prepared this document, "Sublingual Immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization Position Paper 2013 Update", according to the evidence-based criteria, revising and updating chapters of the originally published paper, "Sublingual Immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization Position Paper 2009", available at http://www.waojournal.org. Namely, these comprise: "Mechanisms of sublingual immunotherapy;" "Clinical efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy" - reporting all the data of all controlled trials published after 2009; "Safety of sublingual immunotherapy" - with the recently published Grading System for adverse reactions; "Impact of sublingual immunotherapy on the natural history of respiratory allergy" - with the relevant evidences published since 2009; "Efficacy of SLIT in children" - with detailed analysis of all the studies; "Definition of SLIT patient selection" - reporting the criteria for eligibility to sublingual immunotherapy; "The future of immunotherapy in the community care setting"; "Methodology of clinical trials according to the current scientific and regulatory standards"; and "Guideline development: from evidence-based medicine to patients' views" - including the evolution of the methods to make clinical recommendations.Additionally, we have added new chapters to cover a few emerging crucial topics: "Practical aspects of schedules and dosages and counseling for adherence" - which is crucial in clinical practice for all treatments; "Perspectives and new approaches" - including recombinant allergens, adjuvants, modified allergens, and the concept of validity of the single products. Furthermore, "Raising public awareness about sublingual immunotherapy", as a need for our patients, and strategies to increase awareness of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) among patients, the medical community, all healthcare stakeholders, and public opinion, are also reported in detail.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory and Allergy Clinic, DIMI-Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS Aou San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, Genoa 1-16132, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio Walter
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canonica
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Davie Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pawankar
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Respiratory Medicine (CIMER), Catholic University, Fundación LIBRA, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Baena-Cagnani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blaiss
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Second University of Naples, Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Italian National Research Council, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bousquet
authors.affiliation: Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Imperial College of London, National Heart and Lung Institute, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Moises
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Compalati
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Clinical Immunology, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Durham
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roy Gerth
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: van Wijk
authors.affiliation: Allergy Department, Hospital Medica Sur, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Désirée
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Larenas-Linnemann
authors.affiliation: National Jewish Health, University of Colorado - Denver School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS San Martino IST, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passalacqua
authors.affiliation: Center for Rhinology and Allergology Wiesbaden, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pfaar
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Division, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rosário
authors.affiliation: Academic Centre of Primary Care, Division of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Dermot
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Children's Mercy Hospital, University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Lanny
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosenwasser
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmid-Grendelmeier
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit, Verona General Hospital, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianenrico
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Senna
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Allergology and Pulmonary Diseases, University of Turku, Finland, and Allergy Clinic, Terveystalo, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Erkka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valovirta
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Children's Medical Institute, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Bever
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pakit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vichyanond
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wahn
authors.affiliation: The Allergy and Asthma Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yusuf