Peanut Food Equivalents May Help Patient Desensitization

There are still many questions unanswered about the long-term outcomes of allergy immunotherapy but a new study presented at AAAAI suggests that peanut food equivalents may help patients maintain desensitization after immunotherapy trials.

The study recognized that “regular peanut consumption after immunotherapy may provide continued protection against accidental exposures, however, limited data exists regarding its long-term safety.”

In an attempt to quantify some sort of measure of long-term outcomes, 55 past participants in peanut immunotherapy trials were enrolled in a longitudinal observational study. 

“The majority of patients (89%) were continuing to ingest peanut at the time of follow-up. Adverse reactions and taste aversion were the most cited reasons for discontinuation of peanut ingestion,” stated a release from AAAAI. “Of the participants remaining, 74% consumed peanut daily. While 23.8% of patients reported reactions including gastrointestinal symptoms and urticaria (also known as hives), most symptoms could be treated with antihistamines. One reaction required epinephrine and two required emergency medical services.”

“The majority of patients enrolled in this study continued to consume peanut food equivalents up to eight years after their original immunotherapy trials,” said author Edwin H. Kim, MD, FAAAAI. “Food equivalents may be safe for certain patients following immunotherapy, and could help reduce the risk of peanut allergy sensitivities returning. That being said, no patient with peanut allergies should take it upon themselves to try peanut food equivalents without working with their doctor.”—Edan Stanley