loading page

Efficacy and safety of food allergy oral immunotherapy in adults
  • +4
  • Na'ama Epstein Rigbi ,
  • Michael Levy,
  • Liat Nachshon,
  • Yael Koren,
  • Yitzhak Katz,
  • Michael Goldberg,
  • Arnon Elizur
Na'ama Epstein Rigbi
Shamir Medical Center Assaf Harofeh

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Michael Levy
Shamir Medical Center Assaf Harofeh
Author Profile
Liat Nachshon
Shamir Medical Center Assaf Harofeh
Author Profile
Yael Koren
Shamir Medical Center Assaf Harofeh
Author Profile
Yitzhak Katz
Shamir Medical Center Assaf Harofeh
Author Profile
Michael Goldberg
Shamir Medical Center Assaf Harofeh
Author Profile
Arnon Elizur
Shamir Medical Center Assaf Harofeh
Author Profile

Abstract

Background. Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is an emerging method for treating food allergy in children. However, data regarding adults undergoing this process is lacking. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with food allergy aged ≥17 years who completed OIT treatment between April 2010 to December 2020 at Shamir medical Center. Data was compared to 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 to 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. 10.5%, p=0.001 for children, and 14.2%, p=0.06 for adolescents). Most adults (61.5%) were fully desensitized, but rates of full desensitization were significantly lower compared to children (73.4%, p=0.013). Significantly more adults (28.3%) undergoing milk OIT failed treatment compared to 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 to 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.
29 Jun 2022Submitted to Allergy
30 Jun 2022Submission Checks Completed
30 Jun 2022Assigned to Editor
30 Jun 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
14 Jul 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
15 Jul 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
27 Jul 20221st Revision Received
28 Jul 2022Submission Checks Completed
28 Jul 2022Assigned to Editor
02 Aug 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
13 Aug 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
19 Aug 20222nd Revision Received
19 Aug 2022Submission Checks Completed
19 Aug 2022Assigned to Editor
24 Aug 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
24 Aug 2022Editorial Decision: Accept