The Safety of Peanut Oral Immunotherapy in Peanut-Allergic Subjects in a Single-Center Trial

• Published in: International archives of allergy and immunology Vol. 159; no. 2; pp. 179 - 182
• Main Authors: Yu, G.P., Weldon, B., Neale-May, S., Nadeau, K.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland Karger 01.01.2012; S. Karger AG
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Adult; Allergens - administration & dosage; Allergens - adverse effects; Allergic diseases; Arachis - adverse effects; Arachis - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Desensitization, Immunologic - adverse effects; Desensitization, Immunologic - methods; Digestive allergic diseases; Female; Food allergies; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Immunopathology; Immunotherapy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Original Paper; Peanut Hypersensitivity - diagnosis; Peanut Hypersensitivity - immunology; Peanut Hypersensitivity - therapy; Peanuts; Plant Proteins, Dietary - administration & dosage; Plant Proteins, Dietary - adverse effects; Safety; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Skin Tests; Food allergy; Peanut allergy; Oral immunotherapy; Human; Peanut; Immunopathology; Toxicity; Oral administration; Immunology; Treatment; Immunotherapy; Digestive diseases; Clinical trial
• ISSN: 1018-2438; 1423-0097
• DOI: 10.1159/000336391

Background: Peanut allergy is the leading cause of food-related anaphylaxis, and accidental exposures are common. Oral immunotherapy (OIT) has been posited as a potential treatment. Methods: Patients aged 3–65 years with peanut-specific IgE ≥7 kU/l and/or a positive skin prick test with a history of an allergic reaction to peanut were recruited to undergo an OIT protocol. All adverse reactions were recorded by research staff or patients in real time. Results: Twenty-four patients received 6,662 doses. Symptoms were mostly mild (84%), and only 3 severe gastrointestinal reactions required the administration of epinephrine. Abdominal pain was the most common reaction, followed by oropharyngeal and lip pruritus. Respiratory symptoms were rare. Conclusions: In this trial of OIT in adults and children, most reactions were mild.