| Summary: | Respiratory allergic diseases (also known as allergies), such as rhinitis, asthma, and conjunctivitis, affect more than 400 million people globally and are on the rise in industrialized countries. Allergies result from hypersensitivity to various allergens, such as airborne particles, food, and venom. Mild forms of allergies can be treated with pharmacotherapy (in the form of antihistamines or corticosteroids), but moderate-to-severe allergic reactions require specific allergen immunotherapy (SIT). SIT involves administering gradually increasing doses of extracts of the causative allergen to which a patient is hypersensitive. The aim of treatment is to reduce the clinical reactions of allergic patients. Alternative forms of SIT for respiratory allergies include intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT), oral immunotherapy (OIT), local nasal immunotherapy (LNIT), and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). The purpose of this Rapid Response report is to review the evidence of comparative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of subcutaneous (or injectable) immunotherapy (SCIT), sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), and oral antihistamines in patients with allergies, and to identify published, evidence-based guidelines on the use of SCIT or SLIT for allergies
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