Immunotherapy is effective in patients with mild forms of allergic disease and also in those who do not respond well to standard drug therapy. Specific immunotherapy (SIT) involves the administration of allergen extracts to achieve clinical tolerance of those allergens that cause symptoms in patients with allergic conditions. Most SIT is given by means of injection, but there is increasing interest in performing SIT through the sublingual route.
This therapy remains the treatment of choice for patients with systemic allergic reactions to wasp and bee stings and should be considered as an option in patients with allergic rhinitis, asthma, or both. In allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) allergen extracts are administered to patients with allergic conditions to modify or abolish their symptoms. SIT targets those allergens that are identified by the patient and physician as responsible…
