Injection and sublingual immunotherapy in the management of allergies affecting the unified airway.

The spectrum of allergic disease involves both the upper and lower airways. Immunotherapy has been shown to produce immunologic changes that can result in the improvement of allergic diseases. Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of injection and sublingual immunotherapy in the treatment of rhinitis and asthma. Recent data suggest that immunotherapy may have a role in preventing the development of new sensitizations or in decreasing the progression of allergic disease from rhinitis to asthma. Models of immunotherapy may therefore transition from symptom-relieving treatments to preventive methodologies for the management of allergic disease.