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Peanut patch improves children’s health-related quality of life
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HOUSTON — Children who received the peanut patch saw improvements in their health-related quality of life, according to an analysis of the PEPITES and PEOPLE studies.
“Treatment with peanut epicutaneous immunotherapy resulted in significant improvement in quality of life, as measured by the food allergy quality of life questionnaire both for parents answering on behalf of their children and for the children answering on behalf of themselves,” Audrey Dunn Galvin, PhD, a lecturer in the School of Applied Psychology of University College Cork, Ireland, said during the presentation.
In the phase 3 PEPITES study, patients were randomly assigned to wear a 250 µg peanut protein patch or a placebo patch daily for 12 months. Patients then enrolled in PEOPLE, a 12-month, follow-up, open-label study.
To measure and compare the health-related quality of life (HRQL) in children with peanut allergy assigned to the peanut patch or placebo, Galvin and colleagues asked parents to complete the Food Allergy Quality of Life questionnaire as a proxy for their child. They also asked children aged 8 to 12 years to complete a child form of the questionnaire.
The researchers noted that lower scores on the questionnaire indicated lower allergy burden and were associated with improved HRQL.
In the placebo group, a total of 96 parent forms and 47 child forms were reviewed. In the treatment groups, researchers analyzed 209 parent forms and 105 child forms.
They found that HRQL scores at 24 months were significantly lower in the treatment group (LS mean = 0.34) compared with the placebo group (LS mean = 0.46).
In the study, a subgroup of patients who were initially randomly assigned to receive treatment experienced significant improvement in HRQL scores on parent forms (LS mean = 0.55; P < .001). Significant improvements in HRQL scores were also observed among participants with an eliciting dose increase (LS mean = 0.66, P < .001).
Researchers found that parents in the treatment group had fewer concerns about social dietary limitations, food-related anxiety and emotional impact. Children had fewer concerns about accidental exposure and allergen avoidance.
Galvin noted that the researchers are continuing to follow participants in the trial, because “tracking these children — patients and their parents — to 36 months might present some novel and interesting results.” – by Erin Michael
Reference:
Galvin AD, et al. D303. Presented at: American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology Scientific Meeting; Nov. 7-11, 2019; Houston.
Disclosures: Galvin reports receiving research grants from Aimmune Therapeutics, National Children’s Research Centre, Ireland, DBV Technologies and the Food Allergy Research & Resource Program; additional research support from SafeFood Ireland and National Children’s Research Center, Ireland; being a consultant and serving on the advisory board of Aimmune Therapeutics and Atlantia Food Clinical Trials, Ireland; and being CEO of Anaphylaxis Ireland.