Trending Clinical Topic of the Week (December 1-7): Peanut Allergy
Final results from a phase 3, international trial found that peanut powder immunotherapy helps children and adolescents with severe allergies build tolerance to small amounts of peanut. This may protect them from incidental exposure. This is the first successful phase 3 study to tackle the condition, which affects approximately 2% of US children. Although desensitization was challenging for patients and thus requires caution, this step is welcome news for physicians and families desperate for an approved immunotherapy.
Research presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting examined preventive strategies used by patients with peanut and other food allergies to reduce the risk of experiencing a reaction in restaurants. The survey found that families who used more varied preventive strategies had greater success in avoiding allergic reactions. The research also helped quantify the anxiety that food allergies can cause in patients on a regular basis.
At that same meeting, research was presented suggesting that parental transfer of health-promoting microbes to their children may help prevent allergies. Children of parents who lick a pacifier to clean it before giving it to their children had lower levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)E, which generally indicates lower risk for allergy, beginning at about age 10 months. Other cleaning methods did not affect IgE production. Given the potential severity of allergic reactions to peanuts, it's no surprise that news about treatment and prevention resulted in this week's top trending clinical topic.
For more on food allergies, read here.
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Cite this: Ryan Syrek. Trending Clinical Topics for December 2018 - Medscape - Dec 14, 2018.
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