Oral Immunotherapy for Food-Allergic Children: A Pro-Con Debate

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202102.0465.v1
• Publication Date: 2021-10-09T06:58:25Z
• Authors: Francesca Mori; Mattia Giovannini; Simona Barni; Rodrigo Jiménez-Saiz; Daniel Munblit; Benedetta Biagioni; Giulia Liccioli; Lucrezia Sarti; Lucia Liotti; Silvia Ricci; Elio Novembre; Umit Sahiner; Ermanno Baldo; Davide Caimmi
• Keywords: Eosinophilic Esophagitis; Oral immunotherapy; Peanut Allergy

The prevalence of food allergy has increased in recent years, especially children. Food allergen avoidance and symptomatic drugs case an allergic reaction remain the standard care allergy. Nevertheless, increasing attention been given to possibility treat allergy, through immunotherapy, particularly oral immunotherapy (OIT). Several OIT protocols clinical trials have published. Most them focus on children milk, egg, or peanuts, although studies developed for other foods, such as wheat different nuts. efficacy randomized controlled is usually evaluated patients achieve desensitization, while issue a possible long-term sustained unresponsiveness not completely addressed. Here, we current knowledge, focusing results guidelines. Specifically, wanted highlight what known terms effectiveness, safety, impact quality life. For each aspect, reported pros cons, inferable from published literature. In conclusion, even though many protocols, reviews meta-analysis this topic, remains controversial therapy no definitive generalized conclusion may be drawn so far. It should option provided by specialized teams, when both their families are prone adhere proposed protocol. Efficacy, role adjuvant therapies, risk severe reactions including anaphylaxis eosinophilic esophagitis, life caregivers all aspects that discussed before starting OIT. Future needed provide firm scientific evidence, which also consider patient outcomes.