The Safety of Peanut Oral Immunotherapy in Peanut-Allergic Subjects in a Single-Center Trial

BACKGROUND: Peanut allergy is the leading cause of food-related anaphylaxis, and accidental exposures are common. Oral immunotherapy (OIT) has been posited as a potential treatment. METHODS: Patients aged 3-65 years with peanut-specific IgE ≥7 kU/l and/or a positive skin prick test with a history of an allergic reaction to peanut were recruited to undergo an OIT protocol. All adverse reactions were recorded by research staff or patients in real time. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients received 6,662 doses. Symptoms were mostly mild (84%), and only 3 severe gastrointestinal reactions required the administration of epinephrine. Abdominal pain was the most common reaction, followed by oropharyngeal and lip pruritus. Respiratory symptoms were rare. CONCLUSIONS: In this trial of OIT in adults and children, most reactions were mild.