Allergen immunotherapy for food allergy: Evidence and outlook

Antonella Muraro; Angelo Tropeano; Mattia Giovannini

doi:10.5414/ALX02319E

Allergen immunotherapy for food allergy: Evidence and outlook

Allergol Select. 2022 Nov 21:6:285-292. doi: 10.5414/ALX02319E. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Antonella Muraro¹, Angelo Tropeano², Mattia Giovannini³

Affiliations

¹ Food Allergy Referral Centre Department of Mother and Child Health, University of Padua, Padua.
² Department of Human Pathology of Childhood and Adulthood, University of Messina, Messina, and.
³ Allergy Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy.

Abstract

Food allergy represents a significant health issue characterized by a sizeable epidemiological burden, involving up to 5% of adults and up to 8% of children in the Western world. The elimination diet of the trigger food is the cornerstone of food allergy management. However, novel treatment options are most wanted to provide alternative strategies for this potentially fatal medical condition. Allergen immunotherapy for food allergy (FA-AIT) is considered an immunomodulatory intervention where regular exposure to increasing doses of food is performed in the context of an allergist's supervised protocol. The main objective is to decrease reactivity, attenuate life-threatening allergic episodes and reduce frequent access to the emergency department. Achieving food tolerance off-treatment is, however, the ultimate aim. In this review, we aim to summarize FA-AIT evidence and outlook.

Keywords: EPIT; OIT; SLIT; allergen immunotherapy; food allergy.

Publication types

Review