Seven recent developments involving food allergy

Recent food allergy studies determined a risk for decreased growth for children with milk allergy, as well as the roles of interleukin-10 in a natural tolerance to egg allergy and interleukin-9 in differentiating peanut allergy from peanut sensitivity.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology has reported the influenza vaccine is safe for children with egg allergies, and it recommended the vaccine for those children. Here are highlights of recent developments presented on Healio.com Allergy/Immunology:

1, Decreased growth associated with milk allergy in children

US children with milk allergy are at risk for decreased growth, according to study results.

Researchers studied 6,189 children, aged 2 to 17 years ,who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and represented a diverse selection of the US population. Read more

2. Peanut in household dust increased allergy risk in children with FLG mutations

Children with filaggrin loss-of-function mutations who were exposed to peanut protein in household dust early in life were at increased risk for peanut sensitization and allergy, according to study data.

Researchers in the United Kingdom studied 1,184 patients in a population-based birth cohort from 1995 to 1996. Oral food challenges and component-resolved diagnostics were used to determine peanut sensitization and peanut allergy at ages 8 and 11 years. Read more

3. IL-10 related to natural tolerance of egg in previously allergic children

Interleukin-10 played a role in children who had naturally outgrown egg allergy, researchers reported.

Anna B. Fishbein

Anna B. Fishbein, MD, MSci, assistant professor of pediatric allergy and immunology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University, and colleagues sought to determine the peripheral blood mononuclear cells cytokine response to egg protein in previously allergic children who developed natural tolerance and to differentiate them from children with food allergy. Read more

4. IL-9 differentiated peanut allergy, peanut sensitivity in children

Interleukin-9 best differentiated children with peanut allergy from those with peanut sensitivity and atopic children without peanut allergy, according to study results.

Researchers in the United Kingdom identified potential peanut allergy biomarkers by conducting a preliminary exploratory microarray investigation of gene expression in peanut-activated memory Th subsets from three children with peanut allergy and three atopic children without peanut allergy. Read more

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5. EoE developed in patients with IgE-mediated food allergy after OIT

Eosinophilic esophagitis occurred in nearly 3% of patients with immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy who had undergone oral immunotherapy in a recent study.

Alfredo J. Lucendo

“The onset of eosinophilic esophagitis after oral immunotherapy has been repeatedly described in patients with immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy in recent years, but the relation between the two conditions has not been fully assessed and quantified,” Alfredo J. Lucendo, MD, PhD, FEBGH, department of gastroenterology, Hospital General de Tomelloso, Ciudad Real, Spain, and colleagues wrote. Read more

6. Gluten food challenge effectively screened for wheat-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis

Oral challenges with gluten and skin prick tests were effective screening and confirmatory tools for patients with wheat-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis, according to study results.

Researchers evaluated 34 patients with a history of wheat-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis and positive omega-5 gliadin-specific IgE levels. Read more

7. ACAAI recommends flu vaccine for children with egg allergies, asthma

Influenza vaccine is safe for children with egg allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and it recommends the vaccine for those children, along with those who have asthma.

Michael Foggs

“Because the influenza vaccine is grown in eggs, it contains trace amounts of egg,” Michael Foggs, MD, ACAAI president, said in a press release. “Despite that, we know that administration is safe, and children with egg allergies should be vaccinated. We recommend that, as with any vaccine, all personnel facilities administering flu shots have procedures in place for the rare instance of anaphylaxis.” Read more