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Conway AE, Golden DBK, Brough HA, Santos AF, Shaker MS. Serologic measurements for peanut allergy: Predicting clinical severity is complex. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2024; 132:686-693. [PMID: 38272114 DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2024.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Allergist-immunologists use serologic peanut allergy testing to maximize test sensitivity and specificity while minimizing cost and inconvenience. Recent advances toward this goal include a better understanding of specific IgE (sIgE) and component testing, epitope-sIgE assays, and basophil activation testing. Predicting reaction severity with serologic testing is challenged by a range of co-factors that influence reaction severity, such as the amount and form of any allergen consumed and comorbid disease. In 2020, the Allergy Immunology Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters recommended Ara h 2-sIgE as the most cost-effective diagnostic test for peanut allergy because of its superior performance, when compared with skin prick testing and serum IgE. Basophil activation testing, a functional test of allergic response not evaluated in the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters guideline, is a promising option for both allergy diagnosis and prognosis. Similarly, epitope-sIgE testing may improve prediction of reaction thresholds, but further validation is needed. Despite advances in food allergy testing, many of these tools remain limited by cost, accessibility, and feasibility. In addition, there is a need for further research on how atopic dermatitis may be modifying serologic food allergy severity assessments. Given these limitations, allergy test selection requires a shared decision-making approach so that a patient's values and preferences regarding financial impact, inconvenience, and psychological effects are considered in the context of clinician expertise on the timing and use of optimized testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David B K Golden
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Helen A Brough
- Department of Women and Children's Health (Pediatric Allergy), School of Life Courses Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Children's Allergy Service and Children's Allergy Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's and St. Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra F Santos
- Department of Women and Children's Health (Pediatric Allergy), School of Life Courses Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Children's Allergy Service and Children's Allergy Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's and St. Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus S Shaker
- Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire; Section of Allergy and Immunology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.
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Conway AE, Lieberman J, Codispoti CD, Mahdavinia M, Anagnostou A, Hsu Blatman KS, Lang DM, Oppenheimer J, Mosnaim GS, Bukstein D, Shaker M. Pharmacoequity and Biologics in the Allergy Clinic: Providing the Right Care, at the Right Time, Every Time, to Everyone. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. IN PRACTICE 2024; 12:1170-1180. [PMID: 38458435 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.02.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Pharmacoequity refers to equity in access to pharmacotherapy for all patients and is an especially large barrier to biologic agents in patients with allergic diseases. Value-based care models can prompt clinicians to address social determinants of health, promoting pharmacoequity. Pharmacoequity is influenced by numerous factors including socioeconomic status, which may be mediated through insurance status, educational attainment, and access to specialist care. In addition to lower socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, age, locations isolated from care systems, and off-label indications for biologic agents all constitute barriers to pharmacoequity. Whereas pharmaco-inequity is more apparent for expensive biologics, it also affects many other allergy treatments including epinephrine autoinjectors and SMART for asthma. Current programs aimed at alleviating cost barriers are imperfect. Patient assistance programs, manufacturer-sponsored free drug programs, and rebates often increase the complexity of care, with resultant inequity, particularly for patients with lower health literacy. Ultimately, single silver-bullet solutions are elusive. Long-term improvement instead requires a combination of research, advocacy, and creative problem-solving to design more intelligent and efficient systems that provide timely access to necessary care for every patient, every time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jay Lieberman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tenn
| | - Christopher D Codispoti
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Ill
| | - Mahboobeh Mahdavinia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Ill
| | | | - Karen S Hsu Blatman
- Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH; Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH
| | - David M Lang
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | - Giselle S Mosnaim
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, Ill
| | - Don Bukstein
- Allergy, Asthma, and Sinus Center, Milwaukee, Wis
| | - Marcus Shaker
- Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH; Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH; Department of Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH.
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Stephen E, Conway AE, Codispoti CD, Abrams E, Lieberman JA, Ledford D, Pongdee T, Shaker M. Patient-Centered Practice Guidelines: GRADEing Evidence to Incorporate Certainty, Balance Between Benefits and Harms, Equity, Feasibility, and Cost-Effectiveness. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. IN PRACTICE 2024:S2213-2198(24)00269-1. [PMID: 38467331 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The practice of medicine in recent years has emphasized the use of evidence-based clinical guidelines to help inform treatment decisions. Since its development in 2004, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach has offered a systematic process for reviewing and summarizing the certainty of evidence found in the medical literature regarding various treatment options. To develop truly patient-centered care guidelines, this appraisal of the certainty of evidence must be combined with an understanding of the balance between benefits and harms, patient preferences, equity, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and policy implications. This review examines each of these domains in detail, exploring the process and benefits of developing relevant, patient-focused guidelines directly applicable to the practice of modern medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Stephen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Ill
| | | | - Christopher D Codispoti
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Ill
| | - Elissa Abrams
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Allergy and Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man, Canada
| | - Jay A Lieberman
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tenn
| | - Dennis Ledford
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Fla
| | - Thanai Pongdee
- Division of Allergic Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn
| | - Marcus Shaker
- Department of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH; Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH.
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Leao DLL, Cremers HP, van Veghel D, Pavlova M, Hafkamp FJ, Groot WNJ. Facilitating and Inhibiting Factors in the Design, Implementation, and Applicability of Value-Based Payment Models: A Systematic Literature Review. Med Care Res Rev 2023; 80:467-483. [PMID: 36951451 PMCID: PMC10469482 DOI: 10.1177/10775587231160920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Evidence on the potential for value-based payment models to improve quality of care and ensure more efficient outcomes is limited and mixed. We aim to identify the factors that enhance or inhibit the design, implementation, and application of these models through a systematic literature review. We used the PRISMA guidelines. The facilitating and inhibiting factors were divided into subcategories according to a theoretical framework. We included 143 publications, each reporting multiple factors. Facilitators on objectives and strategies, such as realistic/achievable targets, are reported in 56 studies. Barriers regarding dedicated time and resources (e.g., an excessive amount of time for improvements to manifest) are reported in 25 studies. Consensus within the network regarding objectives and strategies, trust, and good coordination is essential. Health care staff needs to be kept motivated, well-informed, and actively involved. In addition, stakeholders should manage expectations regarding when results are expected to be achieved.
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Chong AC, Diwakar L, Kaplan CM, Fox AT, Abrams EM, Greenhawt M, Oppenheimer JJ, Shaker MS. Provision of Food Allergy Care in the United Kingdom and United States: Current Issues and Future Directions. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. IN PRACTICE 2023; 11:2054-2066. [PMID: 36990429 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2023.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Food allergy (FA) is a growing issue worldwide. The United Kingdom and United States are high-income, industrialized countries with reported increases in FA prevalence over the past few decades. This review compares delivery of FA care in the United Kingdom and United States and each country's response to the heightened demand and disparities for FA services. In the United Kingdom, allergy specialists are scarce and general practitioners (GPs) provide most allergy care. Whereas the United States has more allergists per capita than the United Kingdom, there is still a shortage of allergy services owing to the greater reliance on specialist care for FA in America and wide geographic variation in access to allergist services. Currently, generalists in these countries lack the specialty training and equipment to diagnose and manage FA optimally. Moving forward, the United Kingdom aims to enhance training for GPs so they may provide better quality frontline allergy care. In addition, the United Kingdom is implementing a new tier of semi-specialized GPs and increasing cross-center collaboration through clinical networks. The United Kingdom and United States aim to increase the number of FA specialists, which is critical at a time of rapidly expanding management options for allergic and immunologic diseases requiring clinical expertise and shared decision-making to select appropriate therapies. While these countries aim to grow their supply of quality FA services actively, further efforts to build clinical networks and perhaps recruit international medical graduates and expand telehealth services are necessary to reduce disparities in access to care. For the United Kingdom in particular, increasing quality services will require additional support from the leadership of the centralized National Health Service, which remains challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert C Chong
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Lavanya Diwakar
- Department of Immunology, University Hospital of North Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom; Department of Health Economics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Cameron M Kaplan
- Gehr Center for Health Systems Science and Innovation, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Adam T Fox
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elissa M Abrams
- Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Division of Allergy and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Matthew Greenhawt
- Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo
| | - John J Oppenheimer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Allergy, UMDJ Rutgers University School of Medicine, Newark, NJ
| | - Marcus S Shaker
- Section of Allergy and Immunology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH; Department of Pediatrics, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH; Department of Medicine, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH.
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Abstract
Background Across the practice of allergy and clinical immunology, disruptive innovations have accelerated the adoption of shared decision-making (SDM) to improve the health of patients and populations, particularly with regard to food allergy prevention and management of food allergy and anaphylaxis. Methods A narrative review was performed to describe recent innovations in shared decision-making, risk communication, and food allergy. Results Several challenges, primarily related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and misinformation campaigns, have catalyzed adaptations to evolve clinical care. Recent pressures have facilitated the rapid adoption of telemedicine. In 2023, many allergist/immunologists routinely incorporate both in-person and virtual visits to contextually deliver value-based care to each patient. SDM may occur in a hybrid model that incorporates both in-person and virtual encounters, with many patients experiencing benefit from a combination approach. This may be facilitated by leveraging previsit web-based SDM tools. Whether in person or by telemedicine, effective risk communication to avoid cognitive overload while appreciating population variation in numeracy is key to competent implementation of SDM. Misinformation continues to disproportionately harm patients who belong to groups that encourage denial of evidence-based medical recommendations and COVID-19 vaccination intent correlating with sociopolitical factors. Still, strategies to address misinformation that leverage empathy, respect, and expertise can help to mitigate these effects. Physician wellness is a key component to realization of the Quadruple Aim of health care, and the use of positive framing and appreciative inquiry can help to optimize outcomes and improve value in health care. Conclusion SDM is an important component to consider when incorporating recent innovations in allergy and clinical immunology care, particularly in the setting of contextual and conditional medical recommendations. Effective risk communication is critical to SDM that is truly reflective of patient goals and preferences, and can be facilitated through in-person encounters, telemedicine, and hybrid models. It is important to foster physician wellness as a component of the Quadruple Aim, particularly in the recent pandemic climate of misinformation and denial of evidence-based medicine within large groups of society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Shaker
- From the Section of Allergy and Immunology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, and
- Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire
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Leao DLL, Cremers HP, van Veghel D, Pavlova M, Groot W. The Impact of Value-Based Payment Models for Networks of Care and Transmural Care: A Systematic Literature Review. APPLIED HEALTH ECONOMICS AND HEALTH POLICY 2023; 21:441-466. [PMID: 36723777 PMCID: PMC10119264 DOI: 10.1007/s40258-023-00790-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Value-based healthcare has potential for cost control and quality improvement. To assess this, we review the evidence on the impact of value-based payment (VBP) models in the context of networks of care (NOC) and transmural care. METHODS We used the PRISMA guidelines for this systematic literature review. We searched eight databases in July 2021. Subsequently, we conducted title and abstract and full-text screenings, and extracted information in an extraction matrix. Based on this, we assessed the evidence on the effects of VBP models on clinical outcomes, patient-reported outcomes/experiences, organization-related outcomes/experiences, and costs. Additionally, we reviewed the facilitating and inhibiting factors per VBP model. FINDINGS Among articles studying shared savings and pay-for-performance models, most outline positive effects on both clinical and cost outcomes, such as preventable hospitalizations and total expenditures, respectively. Most studies show no change in patient satisfaction and access to care when adopting VBP models. Providers' opinions towards the models are frequently negative. Transparency and communication among involved stakeholders are found to be key facilitating factors, transversal to all models. Additionally, a lack of trust is an inhibitor found in all VBP models, together with inadequate targets and insufficient incentives. In bundled payment and pay-for-performance models, complexity in the structure of the program and lack of experience in implementing required mechanisms are key inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS The overall positive effect on clinical and cost outcomes validates the success of VBP models. The mostly negative effects on organization-reported outcomes/experiences are corroborated by findings regarding providers' lack of awareness, trust, and engagement with the model. This may be justified by their exclusion from the design of the models, decreasing their sense of ownership and, therefore, motivation. Incentives, targets, benchmarks, and quality measures, if adequately designed, seem to be important facilitators, and if lacking or inadequate, they are key inhibitors. These are prominent facilitators and inhibitors for P4P and shared savings models but not as prominent for bundled payments. The complexity of the scheme and lack of experience are prominent inhibitors in all VBP models, since all require changes in several areas, such as behavioral, process, and infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo L L Leao
- Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, CAHPRI, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | | | | | - Milena Pavlova
- Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, CAHPRI, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Wim Groot
- Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, CAHPRI, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Diehl KC, Popadiuk CA, Agbese E, Leslie DL, Henao MP. Cost assessment of allergy procedures to improve high-value care implementation. Allergy Asthma Proc 2022; 43:168-172. [PMID: 35317895 DOI: 10.2500/aap.2022.43.210115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background: Oral challenges and desensitizations are regularly performed by allergy/immunology physicians. However, there is limited research that has evaluated their cost-effectiveness and overall health-care-related value. Objective: The objective was to analyze the costs of oral challenges and desensitizations by clinician type (including allergy/immunology physicians, other physicians, and certified registered nurse practitioners [CRNP] and physician assistants [PA]), and by geographic distribution in the United States. Methods: By using a de-identified commercial database of medical encounters, we identified all claims for outpatient oral challenges and desensitizations in 2017 and grouped them separately by clinician type and by U.S. Census region. We used analysis of variance to test for cost differences between these two groupings. Results: Allergy/immunology physicians performed the majority of oral challenges (74.36%) with a mean cost of $161, significantly less than that of other physicians ($280). Allergy/immunology physicians also performed the majority of desensitizations (84.48%) with a mean cost of $335, significantly higher than that of CRNPs/PAs ($280); other physicians were reimbursed significantly more than both groups ($410). By geographic region, the mean costs of oral challenges in the Northeast ($212) and the West ($210) were significantly higher than those of other regions, whereas the mean cost of desensitizations was significantly highest in the West ($381). Conclusion: Allergy/immunology physicians and CRNPs/PAs cost the least with respect to oral challenges, whereas CRNPs/PAs cost the least with respect to desensitizations. The Northeast and the West regions provided the highest cost for oral challenges, whereas the West was most expensive in terms of desensitizations. Further knowledge and examination of these reimbursement patterns are crucial in understanding their relative value and the impact on delivery of high-value care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C. Diehl
- From the The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Catherine A. Popadiuk
- Department of Medicine (Division of Allergy/Immunology), Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Edeanya Agbese
- Center for Applied Studies in Health Economics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Douglas L. Leslie
- Center for Applied Studies in Health Economics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - M. Paula Henao
- Department of Medicine (Division of Allergy/Immunology), Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and
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Abrams EM, Greenhawt M, Alqurashi W, Singer AG, Shaker M. The Revenge of Unintended Consequences of Anaphylaxis-Risk Overdiagnosis: How Far We Have Come and How Far We Have to Go. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2021; 9:3911-3917. [PMID: 34147680 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2021.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Overdiagnosis of anaphylaxis risk is an underappreciated aspect of anaphylaxis prevention. Whereas the benefits of anaphylaxis-risk prevention are well known, potential harms resulting from preemptive approaches to mitigate anaphylaxis-risk are not insignificant. Still, great progress has been made in recent years to avoid the unintended consequences of anaphylaxis-risk overdiagnosis. Reflection on recent advances in the use of diagnostic testing, as well as the application of diagnostic labels, provides an important perspective to understand how far the specialty of allergy and immunology has come in improving the lives of patients and families. Examples of recent paradigm shifts in anaphylaxis-risk management include approaches to peanut allergy prevention without screening, deferral of corticosteroids to prevent biphasic anaphylaxis reactions, reevaluation of reflex use of emergency medical services for resolved community anaphylaxis, and an approach to penicillin allergy delabeling with direct oral challenge. Routine medical practices to decrease anaphylaxis risk can have lifelong impacts for patients-beyond just preventing anaphylaxis. As our understanding of these trade-offs evolves, it becomes necessary to weigh both the benefits and the harms of past management approaches. Because medicine remains a science of uncertainty and an art of probability, a critical approach to risk mitigation remains necessary to find the often-elusive balance in anaphylaxis prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa M Abrams
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Matthew Greenhawt
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Allergy/Immunology, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo
| | - Waleed Alqurashi
- Department of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Marcus Shaker
- Section of Allergy and Immunology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH; Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH.
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10
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An update on international practice variation in peanut introduction: conundrums, controversies, and a new direction. Curr Opin Pediatr 2020; 32:825-831. [PMID: 33060444 DOI: 10.1097/mop.0000000000000957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Introduction of peanut during the first year of life is associated with an 81% relative risk reduction of developing peanut allergy in infants with severe eczema, egg allergy, or both. However, significant international variation exists in risk stratification prior to peanut introduction. RECENT FINDINGS A policy-level screening approach, such as the one in the United States, is not practical and is associated with higher costs and more cases of peanut allergy over time, in contrast to international models that recommend universal early introduction without prescreening. In Australia, population-level efforts to introduce peanut early without screening have demonstrated high rates of peanut introduction before 12 months of age and low rates of severe allergic reactions. In contrast, screening prior to peanut introduction in the United States is associated with 'screening creep' - the tendency of clinicians to test populations where screening is not recommended. SUMMARY Early peanut introduction can reduce the risk of developing food allergy and is more effective without a risk-based screening approach. In some circumstances, shared clinical decision-making can facilitate food allergy prevention in a manner consistent with family values and preferences.
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Bellanti JA. The role of the allergist/immunologist in the COVID-19 pandemic: A Janus-faced presentation. Allergy Asthma Proc 2020; 41:397-412. [PMID: 32797762 DOI: 10.2500/aap.2020.41.200072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Background: Following its initial description in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, coronavirus-2 (COVID-19) has rapidly progressed into a worldwide pandemic, affecting millions of lives. Although every specialty of medicine has been affected, the field of allergy/immunology holds a special place in the battle against this modern-day plague. Because of the specialized training in allergy and clinical immunology, and the familiarity with comorbid contributing conditions, the allergist/immunologist is uniquely poised to play a major role both in the delivery of specialized therapeutic procedures and practices that can improve the health of patients with COVID-19 as well as in the use of forthcoming vaccines for the prevention of its spread. Objective: The purpose of this report is to examine the current body of evidence supporting the two phases of infection and inflammation that influence the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and to provide a classification of COVID-19 disease presentations and potential therapeutic targets with which the allergist/immunologist has particular expertise. Methods: This article was based on a literature review of articles published in PubMed related to COVID-19 and the immune response, and the author's own research and clinical experiences in the field of immunology. Results: Currently, the management of COVID-19 disease is being directed by a preventive strategy based on social distancing, quarantine, and facemasks to reduce the spread of the virus. Numerous clinical trials are being initiated to identify effective treatments for COVID-19 and are directed toward treatment of the two phases of infection and inflammation that influence the pathogenesis of COVID-19. An important resource for the allergist/immunologist is the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (COVID-19 TGP), a National Institutes of Health sponsored panel of U.S. physicians, statisticians, and other experts, which has developed a set of continuously updated treatment guidelines intended for clinicians caring for patients during the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: COVID-19 is unique among other infectious diseases because, in many cases, the host immune inflammatory response can cause greater harm to the individual who is infected than the pathogen itself. In this report, the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and the influence it has on COVID-19 presentations is reviewed, together with recommended potential therapeutic targets and treatment recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A. Bellanti
- From the Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology-Immunology; and International Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C
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12
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Wu AC, Fuhlbrigge AL, Robayo MA, Shaker M. Cost-Effectiveness of Biologics for Allergic Diseases. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2020; 9:1107-1117.e2. [PMID: 33069886 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The introduction of specific humanized monoclonal antibodies over the past 20 years has dramatically changed the treatment of allergic diseases. At present, 5 mAbs are licensed for treating moderate to severe allergic and eosinophilic asthma, atopic dermatitis, chronic spontaneous urticaria, chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps, and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Given the high costs of biologics, understanding their cost-effectiveness is critical. As new biologics are developed and new indications are approved for existing biologics, the use of biologics for allergic diseases will increase. Conducting cost-effectiveness evaluations in parallel to efficacy and effectiveness trials will help patients, providers, payers, and policymakers in decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Chen Wu
- Center for Healthcare Research in Pediatrics, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Mass.
| | - Anne L Fuhlbrigge
- Pulmonary Science and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo
| | - Maria Acosta Robayo
- Center for Healthcare Research in Pediatrics, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Mass
| | - Marcus Shaker
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Section of Allergy and Immunology, Lebanon, NH; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Departments of Pediatrics, of Medicine, and of Community and Family Medicine, Hanover, NH
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