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Eight highlights from the ACAAI annual meeting

ATLANTA — Changing definitions and possible treatments for asthma and COPD, the use of component testing for food allergy, the increasing growth of sublingual immunotherapy and an update on skin-related allergies were among highlights at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting.

Here are some of the research and reports presented recently on Healio.com Allergy/Immunology:

1. Component testing for food allergies beneficial when additional specificity required

Component testing for specific food allergies is most beneficial when current diagnostic testing is not adequately specific.

Robert A. Wood

“Our current diagnostic methods in food allergy are lacking … so we’re anxious to have new methods that will help that diagnostic specificity,” Robert A. Wood, MD, FACAAI, professor of pediatrics and international health, and director of pediatric allergy and immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told Healio Allergy/Immunology. Read more

2. VIDEO: Lines blurring between COPD, asthma

Rohit K. Katial, MD, FACAAI, professor of medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, described the changing definitions and possible treatments of COPD and asthma.

“Traditionally, we have thought of COPD … as a disease of neutrophils and asthma as a disease of eosinophils. But now, as the speakers together have nicely shown, those lines are blurring,” Katial, who moderated a session on the subject, told Healio Allergy/Immunology. Watch video

3. Preoperative skin test may reduce prophylactic antibiotic use

Ninety-four percent of patients who reported a history of penicillin allergy and were scheduled to undergo surgery had negative penicillin allergy skin test results. According to researchers, preoperative skin testing may reduce prophylactic antibiotic use in this patient population.

Arveen K. Thethi

“The objective of this study was to try to see if we could reduce the use of prophylactic vancomycin, clindamycin and levofloxacin in patients with a history of penicillin allergy who are getting ready to go to surgery,” Arveen K. Thethi, MD, senior associate allergist, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla., said. Read more

4. IM, pediatric physicians unaware of allergy treatment guidelines

Physicians in pediatrics and internal medicine were unaware of treatment guidelines regarding common allergy and immunology conditions, according to survey results.

“We asked what the best first treatment was for a patient experiencing vomiting and hives after eating a known food allergen,” researcher Kara J. Wada, MD, of Columbus, Ohio, said in a press release. “Only 50% of internal medicine physicians knew it was epinephrine.” Read more

5. VIDEO: Moderator reviews SLIT, other immunotherapies ‘on the horizon’

Tao T. Le, MD, MHS, FACAAI, associate clinical professor of allergy/immunology and section chief at the University of Louisville, reviewed the session he moderated on new forms of immunotherapy.

Le reviewed information presented on sublingual immunotherapy, which he said does not work as well as traditional subcutaneous immunotherapy, but does offer fewer adverse reactions, including anaphylaxis. Watch video

6. Epinephrine initiative aided students, staff after food allergy-related anaphylaxis

Students and staff members in the Chicago Public Schools system benefited from a district-issued emergency epinephrine initiative after experiencing anaphylactic reaction from food allergy.

Ruchi S. Gupta

"Because children are going to school so young, oftentimes they haven’t tried a lot of the foods, so they’re trying it for the first time in school, and they have their first reactions,” Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH, associate professor of pediatrics, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, said. Read more

YouTube videos are a poor source of health care asthma education and often feature alternative treatments.

“Up to 65% of patients with asthma actually use the Internet as a source of information,” Alexei Gonzalez-Estrada, MD, an allergist/immunologist at Cleveland Clinic, said. “YouTube is the third most-used tool on the Web, with up to 2 million views per day.” Read more

8. Skin-related allergies, patch-testing sessions kick off ACAAI meeting

An all-day special session focused on skin-related allergies and the use of patch testing for allergic contact dermatitis.

Luz S. Fonacier

“Allergists are seeing a lot of skin allergies, and therefore would like an update on the diagnosis and management of eczema, urticaria, mucosal lesions and contact dermatitis,” Luz S. Fonacier, MD, FAAAAI, FACAAI, professor of clinical medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, and head of allergy, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, N.Y., told Healio Allergy/Immunology. Read more