With the world’s first peanut oral immunotherapy now approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there is ample evidence to support the efficacy and safety of this novel treatment for peanut allergy. A new piece of work has looked at how much difference this therapy makes to those living with peanut allergy. It found that following successful peanut oral immunotherapy treatment patients reported improved quality of life.
Twenty-one patients (4-17 years old) with medically diagnosed peanut allergy were offered peanut oral immunotherapy. Quality of Life scores were assessed with the use of a validated Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire. Changes in Quality of Life scores were measured for each patient before and after their immunotherapy treatment.
Patients reported a significant improvement in the overall quality of life after successful desensitization to 300mg peanut protein, with fewer concerns about accidental exposures and severity of allergic reactions, and fewer limitations in dietary choices and social interactions.
Reference: Blackman et al. 2020. Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2020.03.028.
