Susan,

Thanks for your interest in the article on sublingual immunotherapy.  

The preventative effect of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) on the onset of asthma in children with allergic rhinitis  was shown in a study by Novembre et al- they followed 153 children with allergic rhinitis due grass pollen for 3 years.  After 3 years, 45 children in the active group and 44 children in the control group were evaluated for the presence of asthma.  8/45 children in the SLIT group had developed asthma compared with 18/44 in the control group (P < 0.01).   (Novembre E et al. JACI 2004; 114: 851-859).  

Another study looking at the long-lasting benefit of SLIT was an open, controlled study involving more than 500 adult and adolescent patients.  The onset of new sensitization after 3 years was 5.9% in the active group and 38% in the control group (P > 0.01).  (Marogna M, Allergy 2004; 59: 1205-1210).  

A third study by the same author (Marogna) showed that new sensitizations were found in 100% of the control subjects but in the different  SLIT groups, new sensitization rates ranged from 11.7% - 21.4%.  (Marogna, JACI 2010; 126 (5): 969- 975).