[Sublingual immunotherapy. Where are we now?].

Allergic diseases represent a global health problem. They affect 20% to 30% of the German population, but more than 40% of the group between 20 and 40 years of age. The symptoms have a considerable influence on social life and cause an impairment of sleep and performance at work/school, leading to a high but avoidable economic impact. For over 100 years specific immunotherapy (SIT) has been used to treat IgE-mediated allergic diseases. Numerous well-controlled studies have provided evidence of its efficacy, safety and tolerability. Today SIT represents a well-established treatment of allergic rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis and allergic asthma with a positive health economic impact. Initially, SIT was administered subcutaneously (SCIT), but other routes of application have been developed. In particular the sublingual-swallow method (SLIT) has been proven to be effective and well-tolerated in large studies on grass pollen allergies and represents an additional effective route of administration in adults and children.