Sublingval immunotherapy in the treatment of allergic rhinitis with or without bronchial hyperreactivity

Allergic rhinitis represents an inflammation of the nasal mucosa characterized by nasal congestion, rhinorrea and sneezing, itchy nose, with a frequent presence of symptoms of the ear, throat and eyes. Allergic rhinitis is the most frequent allergic disease and the leading chronic disease in children aged below 18 years. Treatment of allergic rhinitis involves avoidance of allergens, with administration of pharmacotherapy and immunomodulatory therapy. Allergen specific immunotherapy (ASIT) represents a medical procedure during which patients are exposed under control to known allergens so as to reduce the symptoms of allergic diseases. This is the only therapy that is capable of changing the natural course of the disease. The goal of this review article was to present insight into the most up-to-date understanding of the problem of sublingual immunotherapy in the treatment of allergic rhinitis with or without bronchial hyperreactivity. By searching the available databases MEDLINE and PubMed, we selected thematically review articles published in the period from 2004-2010. Numerous studies have shown that the sublingual application is an adequate, safe and efficient substitution to subcutaneous application of allergens in the treatment of IgE-mediated respiratory tract allergies. It was shown that the sublingual immunotherapy reduces the symptoms and the need for medications, and improves the quality-of-life in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.