The Role of Allergen Immunotherapy in the Management of Allergic Rhinitis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). METHOD: Individual studies, systematic reviews, and practice guidelines that included information on sublingual AIT (SLIT) and subcutaneous AIT (SCIT) in the treatment of AR were considered. RESULTS: AIT via the SLIT or SCIT route has been shown to be effective in treating AR symptoms with resultant improvements in overall quality of life, comorbid illnesses, and medication requirements. Persistent clinical benefits have been demonstrated years after AIT treatment discontinuation. AIT may prevent the progression of AR to asthma. In addition, studies that evaluated the pharmacoeconomics of AR treatment indicate that AIT may be more cost effective than pharmacotherapy. The AIT cost savings are likely underestimated in that few cost comparison studies considered AIT's long-term benefits or preventive effects. CONCLUSION: Multiple individual studies and systematic reviews provide strong evidence for the clinical effectiveness of AIT in the treatment of AR. Cost-effectiveness and disease modification are additional advantages of AIT compared with standard drug treatment in the management of AR.