Feasibility of a 3-step protocol of wheat oral immunotherapy in children with severe wheat allergy

Intervention Efficacy of Slightly Processed Allergen/Meat in Oral Immunotherapy for Seafood Allergy: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression Analysis in Mouse Models and Clinical Patients

Background: Seafood allergy is a significant global health concern that greatly impacts a patient's quality of life. The intervention efficacy of oral immunotherapy (OIT), an emerging intervention strategy, for seafood allergy remains controversial. This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of slightly processed allergen/meat from fish and crustacea in OIT, both in mouse models and clinical patients. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed in four mainstream databases and the EBSCOhost database to identify all relevant case-control and cohort studies. The aim was to elucidate the intervention efficacy, encompassing various processing methods and assessing the efficacy of multiple major allergens in OIT. Results: The meta-analysis included five case-control studies on crustacean allergens in mouse models and 11 cohort studies on meat from fish and crustacea in clinical patients for final quantitative assessments. In mouse models, crustacean allergen substantially decreased the anaphylactic score after OIT treatment (mean difference (MD) = -1.30, p < 0.01). Subgroup analyses with low-level heterogeneities provided more reliable results for crab species (MD = -0.63, p < 0.01, I2 = 0), arginine kinase allergen (MD = -0.83, p < 0.01, I2 = 0), and Maillard reaction processing method (MD = -0.65, p < 0.01, I2 = 29%), respectively. In clinical patients, the main meta-analysis showed that the slightly processed meat significantly increased the incidence rate of oral tolerance (OT, incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 2.90, p < 0.01). Subgroup analyses for fish meat (IRR = 2.79, p < 0.01) and a simple cooking treatment (IRR = 2.36, p = 0.01) also demonstrated a substantial increase in the incidence rate of OT. Sensitivity and meta-regression analyses successfully identified specific studies contributing to heterogeneity in mouse models and clinical patients, although these studies did not impact the overall significant pooled effects. Conclusions: This meta-analysis provides preliminary evidence for the high intervention efficacy of slightly processed allergen/meat from fish and crustacea in OIT, both in mouse models and clinical patients. The Maillard reaction and cooking processing methods may emerge as potentially effective approaches to treating allergen/meat in OIT for clinical patients, offering a promising and specific treatment strategy for seafood allergy. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously, and further supporting evidence is necessary.

Three-year prognosis after low-dose oral food challenge for children with wheat allergy

BACKGROUND

Low-dose oral food challenge (LD-OFC) is an approach to avoid complete elimination in high-risk patients with wheat allergy (WA). We examined the 3-year prognosis after LD-OFC among patients who passed and failed LD-OFC.

METHODS

Children with immediate-type WA aged ≤6 years with a history of reaction to ≤390 mg of wheat protein underwent their first LD-OFC with 52 mg (baseline LD-OFC). After passing the LD-OFC, children stepped up to 390, 1300, and 5200 mg step-by-step every 3-6 months. After failing LD-OFC, children repeated LD-OFC every 6-12 months. We assessed wheat tolerance defined as consuming 5200 mg without symptoms for 3 years after baseline LD-OFC.

RESULTS

The median age of 124 children was 2.4 years, and the wheat- and ω-5-gliadin-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels (kUA/L) were 23.6 and 2.1, respectively. Upon baseline LD-OFC, 57% passed (LD-tolerant), whereas 43% failed (LD-reactive). Within 3 years, 38% of the LD-reactive group passed re-administered LD-OFC, and 70% of all participants avoided complete elimination. The percentage of the participants who became capable of consuming 390 mg (87% vs. 18%), 1300 mg (78% vs. 13%), and acquired tolerance (70% vs. 13%) was significantly higher in the LD-tolerant group than in the LD-reactive group (p < 0.001). Predictors of persistent WA in the LD-tolerant group were older age (adjusted odds ratio, 1.63), ω-5-gliadin-specific IgE level (1.62 per 10-fold increase), and other food allergies (1.94).

CONCLUSIONS

LD-tolerant patients frequently acquired wheat tolerance within 3 years. Even if once positive, one-third could pass the re-administered LD-OFC within 3 years.

Oral Immunotherapy in Food Allergy: A Critical Pediatric Perspective

There is evidence that in children with persistent IgE-mediated food allergy (FA) to cow's milk, hen's egg, and peanut, oral allergen-specific immunotherapy (OIT) may increase the reaction threshold to the culprit food allergen(s). OIT may protect patients from the occurrence of severe reactions in case of accidental ingestion of the culprit food during treatment. Notwithstanding, many gaps are still unsolved, including safety issues, identification of predictive biomarkers, and post-desensitization efficacy. In this perspective, the use of omalizumab (Anti-IgE monoclonal antibody) has been proposed as an adjunctive treatment to OIT in order to reduce the risk of allergic reactions related to OIT. This review aims to summarize the current evidence and unmet needs on OIT in children with FA to enhance the development of longitudinal, prospective, and well-designed studies able to fill the current gaps soon.

Wheat oral immunotherapy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The prevalence of food allergy is increasing on a global scale, and therefore increased attention is being paid to specific food allergy epidemiology and management. There has been a large amount of progress made in the last decade on human trials of wheat oral immunotherapy (WOIT).

RECENT FINDINGS

To date, there has been one multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of WOIT, one randomized, noncontrolled trial of WOIT, and several smaller, nonrandomized clinical trials of WOIT. WOIT trials are generally limited by smaller sample sizes, affecting the demographic skew of evaluated patients. In addition, there is minimal standardization of efficacy and safety outcomes between trial protocols, making head-to-head comparison challenging. However, some common themes emerge. The majority of WOIT regimens result in successful desensitization, and success is more likely with higher maintenance dosing for longer periods of time. Limited studies have looked at sustained unresponsiveness in WOIT. WOIT can induce allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, but more severe reactions often have an associated augmenting factor, such as exercise. Lower maintenance doses likely are associated with less severe reactions, and food modification and/or adjunct therapeutics may also decrease the risk of reactions.

SUMMARY

WOIT trials are ongoing and will optimize updosing protocols and maintenance doses to improve efficacy and safety.