Clinical and laboratory 2-year outcome of oral immunotherapy in patients with cow's milk allergy

Factors associated with home epinephrine-treated reactions during peanut and tree-nut oral immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Home reactions requiring epinephrine administration, a marker of their severity, restrict the widespread use of oral immunotherapy (OIT), but their risk factors are largely not known.

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors for such reactions during OIT to most allergenic foods.

METHODS

All patients who began OIT for peanut, tree nuts, sesame, or egg allergy at the Shamir Medical Center between April 2010 and January 2020 were enrolled. The patients were instructed to use their epinephrine autoinjectors during reactions consisting of severe abdominal pain, significant shortness of breath, or lethargy, or whenever in uncertainty of reaction severity. Patients with and without home epinephrine-treated reactions (HETRs) were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 757 OIT treatments for peanut (n = 346), tree nuts (n = 221; walnut n = 147, cashew n = 57, hazelnut n = 16, almond n = 1), sesame (n = 115), and egg (n = 75) allergies were administered to 644 patients. Eighty-three (10.9%) patients experienced HETRs. The highest rate of HETRs was experienced during walnut (20.4%) or hazelnut (25%) OIT, followed by peanut (9.8%), sesame (6.1%), egg (6.7%), and cashew (5.3%) OIT. Risk factors for HETRs included a reaction treated in an emergency department (ER) (P = .005) before starting OIT and a reaction treated with epinephrine during in-clinic induction (P < .001). Significantly fewer patients with (73.6%) than without (88.3%) HETRs achieved full desensitization (P = .001), but only a few patients with HETRs (8.4%) failed treatment.

CONCLUSION

Previous reaction severity is the main predictor for HETRs during OIT. These reactions are more frequent during walnut and hazelnut OIT than during OIT for other foods studied. Most patients experiencing HETRs achieved desensitization.

Efficacy and safety of food allergy oral immunotherapy in adults

BACKGROUND

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is an emerging method for treating food allergy in children. However, data regarding adults undergoing this process are lacking.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with food allergy aged ≥17 years who completed OIT treatment between April 2010 and December 2020 at Shamir Medical Center. Data were compared with that of children aged 4 to <11 years and adolescents aged ≥11 to 17 treated during the same time period.

RESULTS

A total of 96 adults at a median age of 22.3 years who underwent OIT for milk (n = 53), peanut (n = 18), sesame (n = 7), egg (n = 5), and tree nuts (n = 13) were analyzed and compared with 1299 children and 309 adolescents. Adults experienced more adverse reactions requiring injectable epinephrine, both during in-clinic up-dosing (49% vs. 15.9% and 26.5% for children and adolescents, respectively, p < 0.0001) and during home treatment (22.9% vs. 12.4%, p = 0.007 for children, and 17.5%, p = 0.23 for adolescents). Most adults (61.5%) were fully desensitized, but the rates of full desensitization were significantly lower than children (73.4%, p = 0.013). Significantly more adults (28.3%) undergoing milk OIT failed treatment than children (14.3%, p = 0.015) and adolescents (14.1%, p = 0.022), while failure rates in adults undergoing OIT for other foods were low (9.3%) and comparable with children and adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS

OIT is successful in desensitizing most adults with IgE-mediated food allergy. Adults undergoing milk OIT are at increased risk for severe reactions and for OIT failure while failure rates in adults undergoing OIT for other foods are low.

Characteristics of patients diagnosed as non-allergic following food allergy oral immunotherapy referral

BACKGROUND

Ascribing food allergy diagnosis to patients who are not allergic is well described, but its implications on oral immunotherapy (OIT) have not been studied. The aim was to study non-allergic patients referred for OIT.

METHODS

All patients who began OIT at Shamir Medical Center between November 2015 and August 2020 were included. Medical records were reviewed, and skin prick tests (SPT) and/or specific IgE were measured. Patients were challenged to the index food. Allergic and non-allergic patients were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 1073 patients were studied (milk, n = 327; egg, n = 41; peanut, n = 272; sesame, n = 130; and tree nuts, n = 303) and 87 (8.1%) were found non-allergic (milk, n = 21; egg, n = 6; sesame, n = 5; peanut, n = 29; tree nuts, n = 26). Predictors of being not allergic were no previous reaction to the index food (OR = 3.3, p = 0.001), not having asthma (OR = 2.4, p = 0.001), or HDM sensitization (OR = 2.0, p = 0.007), male sex (OR = 2.3, p = 0.004), and a smaller SPT wheal size (OR = 1.5, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

A substantial number of patients referred for OIT are mislabeled with food allergy, suffer from unjustly food limitations and impairments in quality of life, and "take up" OIT places of true allergic patients. Awareness of OIT centers to this phenomenon is important.

IMPACT

A significant number (8.1%) of patients referred for OIT are found not allergic to the food they intended to treat. This study characterizes non-allergic patients referred for OIT (a lack of previous reaction to the index food, a smaller or negative SPT wheal size, and less atopic co-morbidities) and discusses the implications of such referrals. Increased awareness by OIT centers to potential non-allergic patients referred for OIT is required, including screening of patients before treatment initiation, to minimize unnecessary treatments of non-allergic patients.

Triggers for Home Epinephrine-Treated Reactions During Oral Immunotherapy for Food Allergy

BACKGROUND

Home reactions requiring epinephrine treatment represent a significant obstacle to oral immunotherapy (OIT) and impair treatment outcome.

OBJECTIVE

To identify potential triggers for such reactions for improvement of patient safety.

METHODS

All patients aged older than 3.7 years who began an open-label OIT treatment program to milk, peanut, egg, sesame, or tree nuts in the Institute of Allergy, Immunology, and Pediatric Pulmonology at Shamir Medical Center between April 2010 and March 2018 were enrolled. Information on home epinephrine-treated reactions (HETRs) during the up-dosing phase of OIT was collected from the documentation in patients' files and the reports were transmitted by email and via a web reporting system.

RESULTS

A total 1,270 OIT treatments were included (milk 780; peanut 256; egg 63; sesame 72; and tree nuts 99). Home epinephrine was administered in 200 treatments (15.7%) and in 70 of them a second epinephrine-treated reaction occurred. The leading identified triggers for HETRs were physical exercise temporally associated with administration of home dose (20%), and dose consumption during infectious disease (16.7%), or when fatigued (13.8%). The rate of first HETRs was highest (10.1%) to doses of 500 mg protein or less and particularly to 300 mg or less. The occurrence of first HETRs was highest (35.5%) during the first and decreased to 13.8% by the last of the 4-week home-treatment phase. Second HETRs occurred in a similar rate throughout these 4 weeks. The incidence of HETRs was highest during pollen season and vacation months.

CONCLUSIONS

The identification of factors, some protocol-dependent, that trigger HETRs should assist in improving OIT safety.

Precision medicine for cow's milk immunotherapy in clinical practice

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Several novel immunotherapies have recently been reported for the treatment of cow's milk allergy (CMA). However, systematic methods for the selection of immunotherapy in clinical practice have not been investigated. In this review, we have provided suggestions for safe and effective immunotherapy for patients with CMA.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent studies on cow's milk immunotherapy, using lower target doses, heated or baked cow's milk, combination treatment with adjuvants, or various routes of immunotherapy, included school-aged children with severe allergies, infants, and patients with mild CMA. These patients were administered various maintenance doses for various time periods. In the selection of immunotherapy, it would be useful to consider the patient's age and CMA severity at baseline: threshold dose, history of cow's milk anaphylaxis, and cow's milk-specific IgE levels.

SUMMARY

Considering the risks and benefits for patients with CMA, appropriate treatment should be selected based on the current evidence. Low-dose oral immunotherapy may be useful in clinical practice for school-aged children with severe CMA. Additional studies are needed to assess the indications for immunotherapy to select appropriate treatments in real-life settings.

Home epinephrine-treated reactions in food allergy oral immunotherapy: Lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown

Background

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is effective in desensitizing patients with food allergy but adverse reactions limit its use.

Objective

To study the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown in Israel between March 15, 2020, and April 30, 2020, on the incidence of home epinephrine-treated reactions.

Methods

All patients who were in the up-dosing phase of OIT for greater than or equal to 1 month during the lockdown, or a respective period in years 2015 to 2019, were studied. The incidence of home-epinephrine treated reactions during the 2020 lockdown was compared with that in the respective period in 2015 to 2019 and to periods before and after the lockdown.

Results

A total of 1163 OIT treatments were analyzed. Two epinephrine injections occurred during 2020 (0.7%) compared with 29 injections (3.28%) during 2015 to 2019 (P = .03). Patients treated in 2020 were older (8.1 vs 7 years, P < .01) and had a significantly lower single highest tolerated dose (12 vs 20 mg protein, P < .01). The rate of milk-OIT was lower (P = .01), but the total number of milk treatments was higher (99 vs 71 to 82) in 2020 compared with 2015 to 2019. On multivariate analysis, treatments during the 2020 lockdown were performed in older patients (P = .001), primarily for nonmilk (P = .03), began with a lower single highest tolerated dose (P = .006), and were associated with significantly less home epinephrine-treated reactions (P = .05) compared with those in 2015 to 2019. Patients treated in 2020 experienced more epinephrine-treated reactions in adjacent periods before (n = 8) and after (n = 6) the lockdown.

Conclusion

The lower rate of home epinephrine-treated reactions during the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown in Israel suggests that potentially avoidable triggers contribute significantly to the rate of adverse reactions during OIT.

Long-term follow-up of fixed low-dose oral immunotherapy for children with severe cow's milk allergy

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and safety of cow's milk (CM) low-dose oral immunotherapy (LOIT) at one-year follow-up have been previously reported. We investigated the outcome of fixed long-term LOIT in children with severe CM allergy.

METHODS

Children with positive reactions to oral food challenge (OFC) with 3 mL CM were included. The LOIT group (n = 33) ingested up to 3 mL CM for 1 year. After a two-week CM avoidance, 3 and 25 mL OFCs were performed. Children with positive reactions continued with 3 mL ingestion, with OFCs repeated yearly. Regular home consumption of 25 mL CM after passing the OFCs was defined as 25 mL short-term unresponsiveness (25 mL STU). The historical control group (n = 16) with reactions to 3 mL OFC eliminated daily CM ingestion.

RESULTS

The proportion of 25 mL STU in the LOIT group was 27%, 52%, and 61% after 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively, and the 3-year percentage was significantly higher than that in the historical control group (13%, P = .002). In the LOIT group, only one child developed severe symptoms. Furthermore, in this group, CM- and casein-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) levels decreased significantly and casein-specific IgG and IgG₄ levels increased significantly after 3 years, whereas the historical control group presented no significant change in these parameters. Baseline sIgE levels were significantly low in children achieving 25 mL STU.

CONCLUSION

Continued fixed LOIT yields immunologic improvement and may be effective and safe for severe CM allergy.

Quality of life of children aged 8-12 years undergoing food allergy oral immunotherapy: Child and parent perspective

BACKGROUND

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) for food allergy improves the quality of life (QOL) of children from parental perspective but little is known about the child perception.

METHODS

The Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Child Form (FAQLQ-CF) was administered to children aged 8-12 years, and the FAQLQ-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) was administered to their parents at the start of OIT for milk, egg, peanut, sesame, or tree nuts, at the end of up-dosing, and after 6 months of follow-up. Food-allergic children not undergoing OIT served as controls. Children QOL scores were compared to their parents.

RESULTS

The total FAQLQ-CF score of 103 children undergoing OIT improved significantly from start of OIT (median (IQR); 4.8, 3.8-5.7) to end of up-dosing (3.9, 3-5.2) (P < .001). A greater improvement was noted in the 56 children who reached a follow-up visit, from 5.0 (3.7-5.8) at OIT start to 3.1 (1.8-5.0) on follow-up, (P < .001). In contrast, FAQLQ-CF scores of control patients improved mildly and nonsignificantly between the two time points from 5.3 (4.3-5.7) to 4.8 (3.6-6.0), (P = .13). The improvement in the total FAQLQ-CF scores from OIT start to follow-up was significantly greater compared to the change in control patients during observation (P = .015). Parents reported better QOL scores compared to their children at all stages of OIT (start 4.0, 3.2-5, P = .004; end of up-dosing 2.9, 1.9-4.7, P = .04; follow-up 2.2, 1.6-3.6, P = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

QOL of food-allergic children undergoing OIT improves significantly compared to controls. Parents perceive QOL to be better than the perception of the children.

Basophil Activation as Marker of Clinically Relevant Allergy and Therapy Outcome

For some years now the basophil activation test (BAT) using flow cytometry has emerged as a powerful tool and sensitive marker that can be used to detect clinically relevant allergies, provide information on the severity of an allergic reaction, and monitor therapies. Compared to other in vitro diagnostic tests, BAT seems to have a better informative value in terms of clinical relevance. In general, the BAT can be used for the diagnosis of the most common forms of IgE-mediated allergy such as hymenoptera venom allergy, inhalant allergy, food allergy, and drug allergy. Various basophil markers and parameters have been established which, depending on the trigger of the respective allergy, can provide information on the clinical relevance of sensitization, on the development of natural tolerance, on trigger thresholds, and on the severity of the allergic reaction. The BAT also serves as a suitable follow-up instrument for various therapeutic approaches such as specific immunotherapy, desensitization protocols, or use of anti-IgE-antibodies for the various diseases. Quality controls for routine use, standardization, and automatization are expected to expand the range of applications for the above-mentioned indications.

Patient Characteristics and Risk Factors for Home Epinephrine-Treated Reactions During Oral Immunotherapy for Food Allergy

BACKGROUND

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is effective in desensitizing food-allergic patients but adverse events limit its applicability.

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors for home epinephrine-treated reactions during the build-up phase of OIT.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of patients older than 3.7 years undergoing OIT for food allergy at Shamir Medical Center between April 2010 and March 2019. All patients with a final disposition of full desensitization, partial desensitization, or failure were analyzed. Risk factors and outcome of home epinephrine-treated reactions were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 1037 patients (mean age, 8.4 years) who underwent 1100 OIT treatments (milk, n = 710; peanut, n = 213; egg, n = 50; sesame, n = 57; and tree nuts, n = 70) reached a final disposition and were analyzed. Full desensitization was achieved in 763 (69.4%) treatments, partial desensitization in 219 (19.9%), and 118 (10.7%) failed. Epinephrine was administered to 121 patients (11.7%) during 10.8% of treatments. Milk OIT was a significant risk factor both for epinephrine-treated reactions (odds ratio, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.25-3.68) and for low rate of full desensitization following such reactions compared with nonmilk OIT (18.2% vs 73.9%, respectively; P < .0001). Risk factors during milk OIT included asthma, pre-OIT reaction severity, lower tolerated dose, and epinephrine-treated reactions during clinic updosing, whereas risk factors during nonmilk OIT were male sex and lower tolerated dose.

CONCLUSIONS

Milk OIT poses a significant risk for home epinephrine-treated reactions during OIT and for poor outcome following such reactions. Together with the additional risk factors described for both milk and nonmilk OIT, this information may assist in patient selection for treatment.

CSACI guidelines for the ethical, evidence-based and patient-oriented clinical practice of oral immunotherapy in IgE-mediated food allergy

Background

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is an emerging approach to the treatment of patients with IgE-mediated food allergy and is in the process of transitioning to clinical practice.

Objective

To develop patient-oriented clinical practice guidelines on oral immunotherapy based on evidence and ethical imperatives for the provision of safe and efficient food allergy management.

Materials and methods

Recommendations were developed using a reflective patient-centered multicriteria approach including 22 criteria organized in five dimensions (clinical, populational, economic, organizational and sociopolitical). Data was obtained from: (1) a review of scientific and ethic literature; (2) consultations of allergists, other healthcare professionals (pediatricians, family physicians, nurses, registered dieticians, psychologists, peer supporters), patients and caregivers; and patient associations through structured consultative panels, interviews and on-line questionnaire; and (3) organizational and economic data from the milieu of care. All data was synthesized by criteria in a multicriteria deliberative guide that served as a platform for structured discussion and development of recommendations for each dimension, based on evidence, ethical imperatives and other considerations.

Results

The deliberative grid included 162 articles from the literature and media reviews and data from consultations involving 85 individuals. Thirty-eight (38) recommendations were made for the practice of oral immunotherapy for the treatment of IgE mediated food allergy, based on evidence and a diversity of ethical imperatives. All recommendations were aimed at fostering a context conducive to achieving objectives identified by patients and caregivers with food allergy. Notably, specific recommendations were developed to promote a culture of shared responsibility between patients and healthcare system, equity in access, patient empowerment, shared decision making and personalization of OIT protocols to reflect patients' needs. It also provides recommendations to optimize organization of care to generate capacity to meet demand according to patient choice, e.g. OIT or avoidance. These recommendations were made acknowledging the necessity of ensuring sustainability of the clinical offer in light of various economic considerations.

Conclusions

This innovative CPG methodology was guided by patients' perspectives, clinical evidence as well as ethical and other rationales. This allowed for the creation of a broad set of recommendations that chart optimal clinical practice and define the conditions required to bring about changes to food allergy care that will be sustainable, equitable and conducive to the well-being of all patients in need.

Basophil activation testing in occupational respiratory allergy to low molecular weight compounds

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There is an unmet need for better immunological tests in cases of suspected occupational asthma to many workplace chemicals; here we consider the basophil activation test (BAT), a potential alternative to the detection of specific IgE antibodies.

RECENT FINDINGS

BAT is fairly widely used in general allergy services; and there is increasing experience of its use in the diagnosis of occupational allergy to low molecular weight agents and chemicals including wood dusts, persulphates, antibiotics and latex.

SUMMARY

There is potential for BAT to become a useful tool in the clinical consideration of occupational asthma and of its mechanisms, and even to take a place in a Bayesian-based diagnostic algorithm. Further development will only occur if specialist centres with appropriate facilities, and preferably in collaboration, contemplate its use.

Changes in passively-sensitized basophil activation to αS1-casein after oral immunotherapy

INTRODUCTION

Immune response to cow's milk allergen (CMA) has been analyzed mostly using crude milk antigen or a mixture of various caseins. This study aimed to assess the changes in the immunological response against αS1-casein during oral immunotherapy (OIT) and to investigate the mechanism of tolerance.

METHODS

We have performed rush OIT to 39 patients with CMA and obtained the serum samples up to 3 years after OIT. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and IgG4 antibodies specific to highly purified αS1-casein as well as passively-sensitized basophil activation were evaluated using the serial samples. Furthermore, we examined whether basophil activation led by the pre-OIT serum was suppressed by the post-OIT serum, or by the tolerant serum obtained from naturally outgrown patients.

RESULTS

Specific IgE to αS1-casein was significantly reduced after OIT. Specific IgG4 (sIgG4) to αS1-casein was also detected in most of the pre-OIT sera, which was not significantly increased after OIT. Activation of passively-sensitized basophils to αS1-casein was significantly reduced after 2 years (14% ± 19%) and 3 years (19% ± 18%) post-OIT compared with pre-OIT (%CD63^high basophils; 51% ± 27%). Furthermore, the addition of post-OIT or tolerant serum to pre-OIT serum significantly suppressed the basophil activation. This suppression was abrogated by washing the supernatant after passive sensitization, but not by depleting IgG antibodies from post-OIT or tolerant sera, nor by blocking FcγRIIb using an anti-FcγR antibody.

CONCLUSIONS

αS1-casein-sIgG4 plays a minor role in tolerance mechanisms in cases of CMA; humoral factors other than antigen-sIgG4 may be involved.

Risk Factors and Treatment Outcomes for Oral Immunotherapy-Induced Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Eosinophilic Responses (OITIGER)

BACKGROUND

We recently described that oral immunotherapy (OIT)-induced gastrointestinal symptoms were associated with peripheral eosinophilic responses (termed OITIGER).

OBJECTIVE

To identify treatment outcomes after dose modification and risk factors for developing OITIGER.

METHODS

Treatment modifications in patients with OITIGER (n = 65) including cumulative dose reductions or treatment suspension were individualized and based on the severity of symptoms and an associated absolute eosinophil count (AEC, eosinophils/μL) of more than 900. Multivariate analysis for risk factors associated with OITIGER was performed in milk-OIT subjects.

RESULTS

Treatment modifications reduced the cumulative daily dosage load by a median of 50% (interquartile range, 50%-67%) in 43 of 65 (66.1%) patients, deferred dose increases in 2 of 65 (3.1%) patients, or temporarily suspended treatment in 18 of 65 (27.7%) patients. Two patients (3.1%) had no treatment intervention. Symptoms and eosinophilia abated on dosage modification, allowing for resumption of dose increases (n = 34) or reinitiation of treatment (n = 9) after a median of 29 (interquartile range, 20-56) and 19 (interquartile range, 17-44) days, respectively. OITIGER reoccurred during treatment in 10 of 54 (18.5%) patients, which resolved after further dose modification. In long-term follow-up (>3-26 months), 31 of 32 patients were asymptomatic with stable AECs. Patients with OITIGER had a higher OIT failure rate (P = .004) and were less likely to reach full desensitization (P < .001), as compared with asymptomatic patients (n = 684). Multivariate analysis identified several risk factors for OITIGER: starting dose more than 120 mg (P < .001; odds ratio, 7.14), second-month dose more than 4-fold over the starting dose (P = .037; odds ratio, 2.18), and baseline AEC more than 600/μL (P = .002; odds ratio, 3.2).

CONCLUSIONS

OITIGER is transient or reversible in most subjects, and its occurrence is related to OIT starting dose, its rate of increase, and baseline AECs.

Non-digestible oligosaccharides scFOS/lcFOS facilitate safe subcutaneous immunotherapy for peanut allergy

BACKGROUND

Improving the safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) for food allergy is necessary to reduce side effects and achieve long-term tolerance. We determined the effect of dietary supplementation with 1% non-digestible short- and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS/lcFOS) on safety and efficacy of SCIT using a peanut allergy mouse model.

METHODS

After sensitization, mice received a scFOS/lcFOS or control diet for the rest of the study. To study safety of SCIT, mice were dosed with a single subcutaneous injection of peanut extract (PE) or PBS. To study efficacy, mice were dosed subcutaneously (SCIT, 3 times/week) with PE or PBS for 3 weeks. Hereafter, acute allergic skin responses, anaphylactic shock symptoms and body temperature were assessed. To study the mechanism in vitro, the human IgE receptor (FcεRI)-transfected rat mast cell (RBL) line was sensitized with an oligoclonal pool of chimeric human (chu)IgE antibodies against bovine β-lactoglobulin (BLG) and incubated with the oligosaccharides before exposure to BLG to assess direct the effect on degranulation.

RESULTS

scFOS/lcFOS reduced anaphylaxis caused by a single PE SCIT dose. scFOS/lcFOS alone also reduced the acute allergic skin response. Moreover, scFOS/lcFOS supplementation resulted in lower MMCP-1 levels in serum after PE SCIT dose compared to control diet, while antibody levels were not affected by the diet. In vitro incubation with scFOS/lcFOS at 0.5% suppressed the degranulation of IgE-sensitized RBL cells. However, dietary supplementation with scFOS/lcFOS did not improve the efficacy of SCIT.

CONCLUSIONS

We show that scFOS/lcFOS diet improves the safety of SCIT, as evidenced by lower anaphylactic responses without compromising the efficacy in a mouse model for peanut allergy. This effect is likely to result from the suppression of mast cell effector function.

Acquired cow's milk sensitization after liver transplant in an adult: "clinical implications" and future strategies

Background

Identifying the mechanisms responsible for the development of food allergy in liver transplant recipients is more complex as there are several different clinical scenarios related to the immunological function of the liver.

Case presentation

We describe the first case of Transplant Acquired Food Allergy (TAFA) to cow milk in an adult following LT from a donor dead because of anaphylactic shock. A 67-year-old woman with primary biliary cirrhosis was referred to the Transplant Center of our hospital because of an acute-on-chronic liver failure. The donor was a 15-year-old girl deceased for anoxic encephalopathy due to food induced anaphylaxis after eating a biscuit. In the donor's history food allergies to cow milk and eggs were present.

Conclusion

This case emphasizes the need for a standardized assessment of both solid-organ donors and recipients including donor allergy history in order to detect recipients at risk for anaphylaxis due to passive IgE transfer. Despite several reports of TAFA after solid organ, especially liver, an appropriate protocol to avoid risk for the recipient doesn't exist at the moment. The SPT (skin prick test) or specific IgE level are not enough to ensure a correct management in these cases and a correct education of the patients and the medical staff involved is absolutely necessary. It is the first case of milk allergy sensitization after solid organ transplant by passive transfer of IgE.

Long-term outcome of peanut oral immunotherapy-Real-life experience

BACKGROUND

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is currently recommended as a treatment option for peanut-allergic patients. Data regarding its long-term compliance and efficacy in real life are required.

METHODS

Peanut-allergic patients aged ≥4 years were enrolled in a single-center clinical OIT program. Buildup to 3000 mg peanut protein was performed. Patients reaching this dose before or after 12/2014 were instructed to consume 3000 or 1200 mg daily, respectively. Patients were followed ≥6 months after reaching maintenance and rechallenged to 3000 mg.

RESULTS

Of the 145 patients studied, 113 (77.9%) were fully desensitized to 3000 mg and 133 (91.7%) were desensitized to ≥300 mg. 21/145 patients (14.5%) required adrenaline for home-dose reactions during buildup. Non-anaphylactic gastrointestinal symptoms, experienced by 9 patients (6.2%), reversed with dose reduction. Of the 111 patients available for analysis 6 months after reaching 3000 mg, 97 (87.4%) continued regular peanut consumption. Only 2/111 patients (1.8%) required adrenaline over the long-term (median, range; 18, 6-75 months) follow-up. Adherence to treatment was significantly higher in patients consuming 1200 mg (73/76, 96.1%) vs those consuming 3000 mg (24/35, 72.2%), (P = .001). A higher maintenance dosage and home adrenaline requirement during buildup predicted adherence cessation (OR 12.5, P = .001; and OR 7.8, P = .02, respectively). 63/64 patients (98.4%) consuming 1200 mg maintenance dose were successfully rechallenged to 3000 mg.

CONCLUSIONS

This real-life experience demonstrates the efficacy of peanut OIT long-term. A lower maintenance dose minimized treatment cessation while maintaining desensitization. OIT should be performed in qualified centers given the prevalence of adverse reactions, particularly during buildup.

Cow's milk oral immunotherapy in real life: 8-year long-term follow-up study

Background

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) has been recognized as a promising treatment for severe and long-lasting cow's milk (CM) allergy. Once maintenance has been achieved, patients should maintain daily intake of CM to ensure desensitization. Clinical experience concerning long-term follow-up is scarce.

Objective

The authors aimed to assess long-term efficacy and safety of a maintenance phase of OIT in real life.

Methods

Prospective study of all children and adolescents, who underwent CM-OIT and were subsequently followed at our allergy center on maintenance dose (200 mL daily) for at least 36 months after reaching the maintenance phase (from 2009 to 2016).

Results

Forty-two patients were enrolled: 60% male, 36% with history of anaphylaxis and 57% with asthma. The median time of follow-up was 69 months (range, 39–105 months) and the median age at the last clinical evaluation was 13 years (range, 6–23 years). Regarding adherence to the protocol: 92% are on free diet (at least 200 mL of CM daily; 7-g protein); 14% had transient interruptions and 7% definitely withdrawn with loss of tolerance. During maintenance, 45% developed mild to severe allergic reactions, and 7% had more than 3 episodes. A positive correlation between the occurrence of allergic reactions and history of anaphylaxis (p < 0.001) was found. The coexistence of asthma was risk factor for the occurrence of allergic reactions during maintenance.

Conclusion

This real-life study supports long-term efficacy and safety of CM-OIT. Despite daily intake, 41% had symptoms at some moment during the complete follow-up period; a total of 33 symptomatic days in patients with mean follow-up time of 67.5 months. Clinical tolerance depends on daily intake. The protective effect reached can be lost after CM withdrawal. History of anaphylaxis was a risk factor for the occurrence of allergic reactions during the maintenance phase.

Quality of Life of Food-Allergic Patients Before, During, and After Oral Immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) for food allergy is demanding but data on patients' quality of life (QOL) throughout the process are limited.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize changes in QOL of food-allergic patients during and after OIT.

METHODS

In a prospective cohort study, the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parental Form (FAQLQ-PF) was administered to parents of 191 consecutive children aged 4 to 12 years undergoing OIT for food allergy. Questionnaires were administered at OIT initiation, mid up-dosing, upon reaching maintenance, and after 6 months of follow-up. Age- and sex-matched food-allergic children (n = 48) not undergoing OIT served as controls.

RESULTS

FAQLQ-PF scores had significantly improved (decreased) from OIT initiation to reaching full maintenance (emotional impact [EI], 3.66-3.32, P = .001; food anxiety [FA], 3.90-3.32, P < .001; social and dietary limitation [SDL], 3.50-2.94, P < .001; and total score, 3.69-3.19, P < .001) and partial maintenance, whereas no change was noted in control patients. Worse baseline QOL, single food allergy, and a younger age predicted greater QOL improvement. Of the 85 (88.5%) patients who completed the FAQLQ-PF at mid up-dosing and for whom QOL deteriorated, a significant improvement was noted upon reaching maintenance. Additional significant improvement in QOL was observed in the 95 (88.8%) patients who completed the FAQLQ-PF 6 months after reaching maintenance (EI, 3.414-2.993, P = 0.049; FA, 3.37-2.593, P = .001; SDL, 2.989-2.264, P = .001; and total score, 3.266-2.614, P = .001).

CONCLUSION

The QOL of food-allergic children improves significantly upon reaching OIT maintenance, with additional improvement 6 months later. The detrimental effect of OIT on some patients' QOL during up-dosing is reversed upon reaching maintenance.

Debates in Allergy Medicine: Does oral immunotherapy shorten the duration of milk and egg allergy? The pro argument

The development of oral tolerance or food allergy is an active process, related to dynamic interactions between host immune cells, microbiome, dietary factors, and food allergens. Oral tolerance is the default immune response in the gut. A food allergy occurs when this process fails and a pathologic Th2 response is activated. Oral food immunotherapy (OIT) aims to restore immune tolerance in food-allergic individuals. The stimulation of Tregs production seems to represent a crucial step in inducing long-term tolerance, but other mechanisms (e.g., the suppression of mast cell and basophil reactivity, changes in allergen-specific cells with regulatory markers) are involved. Several studies reported the efficacy of OIT in terms of "sustained unresponsiveness" (SU), an operational definition of immune tolerance. In successfully treated subjects, the ability to pass an oral food challenge 2 to 8 weeks after stopping the food allergen exposure seems to be conditioned by the treatment starting age, frequency, amount or type of food consumed, and by the duration of the maintenance phase. Based on the available data, the percentage of milk- and egg-allergic subjects achieving sustained unresponsiveness after an OIT ranges from 21% to 58,3%. A comprehensive understanding of mechanisms underlying the induction of oral tolerance with OIT, or natural tolerance to food allergens in healthy individuals, could potentially lead to advances in development of better treatment options for food allergic patients.

Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis in Japanese elementary school children

BACKGROUND

In 2012, we clarified that the prevalence of food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) was 0.018% in junior-high students in Yokohama, Japan. Furthermore, although different from FDEIA, one student who had completed oral immunotherapy developed anaphylaxis during exercise after eating causative food. There have been few large-scale epidemiological studies of FDEIA, however, in elementary school children, therefore we conducted an epidemiological study in elementary school children in Yokohama to clarify the frequency and characteristic of FDEIA.

METHODS

We sent a questionnaire regarding the occurrence of FDEIA to all 348 public elementary school nurses in Yokohama. We also compared the results with those for junior-high school that we previously reported. We excluded those children with a past history of immediate food allergy who had achieved desensitization status after oral immunotherapy, from FDEIA, and instead defined them as having desensitization status and exercise-induced anaphylaxis (DEIA).

RESULTS

Of 348 school nurses, 317 responded (91.1%). Overall, eight of 170 146 children were diagnosed with FDEIA, which was significantly lower than the prevalence in junior-high school students (0.0047% vs 0.018%, P = 0.0009). The causative foods were wheat (n = 4), and soy, fruit, crustaceans, and squid (n = 1 each). Four children had DEIA and the causative foods were wheat and milk (n = 2 each). Multiple episodes occurred in five children with FDEIA and in three children with DEIA.

CONCLUSIONS

FDEIA was far less common in elementary school than in junior-high school, and wheat was the major causative food. The new appearance of DEIA was notable. Decreasing episode recurrence remains an issue that needs to be resolved.

What is new in managing patients with food allergy? Almost everything

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aims to describe current concepts in managing patients with food allergy. There have been many recent advances in the management of patients with IgE-mediated reactions to food, including diagnosis, prevention, management, and ongoing research in the field. Food allergy is increasing in prevalence and may be life threatening. This review aims to highlight changes in recommended practice when diagnosing and managing patients with food allergy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Early introduction of highly allergenic foods, particularly peanut, has been shown to decrease the risk for development of food allergy in patients who are at elevated risk. Avoidance of foods without a clinical history of food allergy may increase the risk of subsequent allergy. Epinephrine remains the first line therapy for anaphylaxis, and patients and families need to be instructed on indications and technique for use. Promising research is ongoing in areas of immunotherapy to food allergens.

SUMMARY

Food allergy is a potentially life-threatening condition that may persist throughout adulthood. Practitioners should be aware of changes to recommendations for the diagnosis, prevention, and management of patients with food allergy.

Road map for the clinical application of the basophil activation test in food allergy

The diagnosis of IgE‐mediated food allergy based solely on the clinical history and the documentation of specific IgE to whole allergen extract or single allergens is often ambiguous, requiring oral food challenges (OFCs), with the attendant risk and inconvenience to the patient, to confirm the diagnosis of food allergy. This is a considerable proportion of patients assessed in allergy clinics. The basophil activation test (BAT) has emerged as having superior specificity and comparable sensitivity to diagnose food allergy, when compared with skin prick test and specific IgE. BAT, therefore, may reduce the number of OFC required for accurate diagnosis, particularly positive OFC. BAT can also be used to monitor resolution of food allergy and the clinical response to immunomodulatory treatments. Given the practicalities involved in the performance of BAT, we propose that it can be applied for selected cases where the history, skin prick test and/or specific IgE are not definitive for the diagnosis of food allergy. In the cases that the BAT is positive, food allergy is sufficiently confirmed without OFC; in the cases that BAT is negative or the patient has non‐responder basophils, OFC may still be indicated. However, broad clinical application of BAT demands further standardization of the laboratory procedure and of the flow cytometry data analyses, as well as clinical validation of BAT as a diagnostic test for multiple target allergens and confirmation of its feasibility and cost‐effectiveness in multiple settings.

Current and Emerging Therapies for IgE-Mediated Food Allergy

Food allergies are a growing clinical problem leading to increased health care utilization and decreases in patient quality of life. Current treatment recommendations include strict dietary avoidance of the offending food as well as use of self-injectable epinephrine in case of accidental exposure with allergic reaction. Although many individuals will eventually outgrow their food allergies, a substantial number will not. Significant effort has been made to find novel treatments that protect patients from food-triggered reactions as well as to develop immune-modulating therapies that could lead to tolerance. In this review, three therapies that have shown the most promise for the treatment of food allergies are highlighted: oral immunotherapy, sublingual immunotherapy, and epicutaneous immunotherapy.