Asia Pac Allergy.  2019 Jan;9(1):e1. 10.5415/apallergy.2019.9.e1.

Efficacy and safety of oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy: a pilot study in Singaporean children

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077. jian_yi_soh@nuhs.edu.sg
  • 2Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore 119228.
  • 3Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077.

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Peanut allergy is an increasing problem in Singapore and strict avoidance is difficult as peanut is ubiquitous in Asian cuisine.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of peanut oral immunotherapy (OIT) in children with obvious peanut allergy in Singapore.
METHODS
This was an open-label study of peanut OIT in children living in Singapore, with 2 weekly dose escalation until final maintenance dose of 3,000 mg of peanut protein and a maintenance phase of 12 months. An oral food challenge was performed at 6 months to assess for desensitisation and at 4 weeks after discontinuation of OIT having completed 12 months of maintenance therapy to assess for possible sustained unresponsiveness. The adverse events were monitored using the symptom diaries.
RESULTS
Nine subjects were started on OIT, with 7 managing to complete maintenance phase of therapy. Of these 7, all were able to tolerate at least 3,000 mg of peanut protein by 6 months of maintenance therapy, showing that the OIT was effective. Of these 7, 3 patients complied with the 4-week abstinence period after completion of OIT before another peanut challenge; 2 of the 3 subjects showed a significant decrease from the initial ability to tolerate 3,000 mg of peanut protein. Side effects were mainly gastrointestinal in nature and were more common during the updosing phase than the maintenance phase. No episodes of anaphylaxis were observed in this study.
CONCLUSION
Peanut OIT seemed to be effective and safe in our cohort of Singaporean children.

Keyword

Peanut; Allergy; Oral immunotherapy; Trial; Probiotics

MeSH Terms

Anaphylaxis
Arachis*
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Child*
Cohort Studies
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Immunotherapy*
Peanut Hypersensitivity*
Pilot Projects*
Probiotics
Singapore
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