Administering a small amount of protein therapy, the Peanut Sublingual Immunotherapy (Peanut SLIT), under the tongue may provide a safe and effective treatment for peanut-allergic children between the ages of 1 and 4, revealed a recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
High Efficacy of Peanut SLIT in Treating Peanut-Allergic Toddlers
The study included peanut-allergic children randomized to receive 4 mg peanut SLIT versus placebo. A total of 50 participants were enrolled.The findings showed that peanut SLIT can be highly effective in treating peanut-allergic toddlers, with almost 80 percent tolerating 15 peanuts without allergic symptoms after completing the treatment.
In addition, researchers showed that remission of the peanut allergy may be possible after peanut SLIT, with 63 percent of the toddlers maintaining their protection three months after stopping the treatment. “The desensitization levels we saw were higher than expected and on par with levels we normally would only expect with oral immunotherapy.
Just as important, rather than wearing off quickly, we were excited to see that over 60 percent stayed protected three months after stopping the treatment,” said Edwin Kim, corresponding author of the study, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine in the US.
One of the presumed strengths of the SLIT approach, when compared to OIT (oral immunotherapy) has been its overall safety and simple administration, the study mentioned. Compared to OIT, the SLIT approach is likely to be a safer option, with the most common side effect consisting of oral itching.
Treatments that can protect children from allergic reactions while still being safe and practical for busy families can be life-changing, and researchers are hopeful that peanut SLIT can be one of those options, according to Kim.
Source: IANS
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