Previous studies have demonstrated that both subcutaneous (SCIT) and sublingual specific
immunotherapy (SLIT) are effective in treating
allergic rhinitis (AR). Further studies have evaluated the efficacy of
allergen-specific
immunotherapy (AIT) on different ear, nose, and throat (ENT) manifestations, in which
allergy might have an etiopathogenetic role, such as local
allergic rhinitis (LAR),
rhinosinusitis (RS),
otitis media (OM), and adenotonsillar (AT) disease. Nevertheless, the management of
allergy in
ENT diseases is still debated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review assessing the efficacy of AIT in
ENT diseases aside from AR. Literature data confirmed that AIT might be an effective therapeutic option in LAR, although its effect is restricted to studies with short-term follow-up. Furthermore, previous research demonstrated that AIT may improve symptoms and surgical outcomes of chronic
rhinosinusitis when used as an adjunctive treatment. Few studies supported the hypothesis that AIT may exert positive
therapeutic effects on recurrent upper airway
infections as adenotonsillar disease. Finally, some clinical observations suggested that AIT may add some benefits in the management of
otitis media with effusion (OME). The results of this systematic review allow us to conclude that the efficacy of AIT in ENT disorders has been only slightly investigated and additional studies are needed.