Subjects and eligibility criteria
153 children who fulfilled criteria for allergic rhinitis and asthma [5, 6] who had been referred to the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania between January 2016 and May 2022, were enrolled in the study.
Inclusion criteria were: patients of both sexes; in ages 6-18 years old; who are diagnosed with allergic rhinitis; allergic asthma; allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma according to ARIA [7] and GINA’s [8] criteria, respectively; mono- or poly-sensitized to ambrosiae, artemisiae, betulaceae, dermatophagoides farinae and pteronyssinus, cat epithelium, grasses, olive and parietaria; who were treated preseasonally and coseasonally or continuously with grass pollen (ambrosiae, artemisiae, betulaceae, dermatophagoides farinae and pteronyssinus, cat epithelium, grasses, olive and parietaria) tablets up to three years; who stopped SLIT at least three years.
Exclusion criteria included: children younger than 6 years or older than 18 years; patients who are diagnosed with chronic disease; patients who had stopped SLIT for less than three years.