New Study LEAP Identifies New Way to Prevent Peanut Allergies

Introduction of peanut contained foods items into the diet plans of infants at high risk of developing peanut allergy was safe and led to an 81 % decrease in the subsequent progression of the allergy, a clinical study has identified. The research was backed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and was performed by the NIAID-financed Immune Tolerance Network (ITN) External Web Site Policy. The outcomes appear in the present online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine and were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology on 23rd February.

Investigators led by Gideon Lack, M.D., developed a study referred to as Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP), dependent on observations that Israeli kids have reduced rates of peanut allergy in comparison to Jewish kids of similar ancestry living in the United Kingdom. Unlike kids in the UK, Israeli kids begin eating peanut-containing foods early in life. The research examined the hypothesis that the extremely low rates of peanut allergy in Israeli kids were a effect of high levels of peanut intake beginning in infancy.

NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, stated “Food allergies are a increasing issue, not just in the United States but all over the world.” For a research to show a advantage of this magnitude in the prevention of peanut allergy is without precedent. The outcomes have the possible to transform how we approach food allergy prevention.

LEAP compared two methods to protect against peanut allergy — consumption or prevention of dietary peanut — in infants who were at great risk of developing peanut allergy for the reason that they presently had egg allergy and/or severe eczema, an inflammatory skin disorder.

“The research also left out infants showing early powerful signs of having already developed peanut allergy. The safety and efficiency of early peanut intake in this group continues to be unknown and needs further research,” said Dr. Lack. “Parents of infants and young kids with eczema or egg allergy must speak with an allergist, pediatrician, or their general physician before feeding them peanut products.”

Over 600 high-risk infants between 4 and 11 months of age were allocated randomly either to prevent peanut completely or to regularly include a minimum of 6 grams of peanut protein per week in their diet plans. The prevention and consumption regimens were carried on till 5 years of age. Study participants were supervised throughout this period with recurring visits with health care specialists, in addition to finishing dietary surveys by telephone.

The scientists evaluated peanut allergy at 5 years of age with a supervised, oral food challenge with peanut. They identified an overall 81 % decrease of peanut allergy in kids who began early, continuous consumption of peanut in comparison to those who avoided peanut.

Director of NIAID’s division Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Daniel Rotrosen stated “before 2008, clinical practice guidelines suggested avoidance of possibly allergenic foods in the diet plans of kids at heightened possibility for development of food allergies.”

While latest research demonstrated no benefit from allergen avoidance, the LEAP research is the initial to show that early introduction of peanut dietary plan is in fact beneficial and recognizes an effective technique to control a serious public health issue.

A follow-up research referred to as LEAP-On will ask all LEAP study individuals to avoid peanut intake for one year. These outcomes will figure out whether continuous peanut intake is needed to maintain a child’s tolerance to peanut.