Clinical and laboratory 2‐year outcome of oral immunotherapy in patients with cow's milk allergy

• Published in: Allergy (Copenhagen) 2016-02, Vol.71 (2), p.275-278
• Main Authors: Elizur, A., Appel, M. Y., Goldberg, M. R., Yichie, T., Levy, M. B., Nachshon, L., Katz, Y.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; adverse reactions; Allergens - administration & dosage; Allergens - immunology; Animals; basophil activation; Cattle; Child, Preschool; Clinical outcomes; desensitization; Desensitization, Immunologic - adverse effects; Desensitization, Immunologic - methods; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Food allergies; food allergy; Humans; Immunotherapy; Infant; Male; Milk; Milk - adverse effects; Milk Hypersensitivity - diagnosis; Milk Hypersensitivity - immunology; Milk Hypersensitivity - therapy; Skin Tests; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0105-4538; 1398-9995
• DOI: 10.1111/all.12794

Studies examining the long‐term effect of oral immunotherapy in food‐allergic patients are limited. We investigated cow's milk‐allergic patients, >6 months after the completion of oral immunotherapy (n = 197). Questionnaires, skin prick tests, and basophil activation assays were performed. Of the 195 patients contacted, 180 (92.3%) were consuming milk protein regularly. Half experienced adverse reactions, mostly mild. Thirteen patients (6.7%) required injectable epinephrine. Higher reaction rate after immunotherapy was associated with more anaphylactic episodes before treatment and a lower starting dose (OR = 2.1, P = 0.035 and OR = 2.3, P = 0.035, respectively). Reaction rate in patients who were 6–15 months, 15–30 months, or >30 months post‐treatment decreased from 0.28/month to 0.21/month to 0.15/month, respectively (P 24 months vs in patients