scholarly journals Food Allergies: Current and Future Treatments

Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia Licari ◽  
Sara Manti ◽  
Alessia Marseglia ◽  
Ilaria Brambilla ◽  
Martina Votto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Dietary Restrictions ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Approach ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Allergy Treatment

Food allergies are an increasingly public health problem, affecting up to 10% of children and causing a significant burden on affected patients, resulting in dietary restrictions, fear of accidental ingestion and related risk of severe reactions, as well as a reduced quality of life. Currently, there is no specific cure for a food allergy, so the only available management is limited to strict dietary avoidance, education on prompt recognition of symptoms, and emergency treatment of adverse reactions. Several allergen specific- and nonspecific-therapies, aiming to acquire a persistent food tolerance, are under investigation as potential treatments; however, to date, only immunotherapy has been identified as the most promising therapeutic approach for food allergy treatment. The aim of this review is to provide an updated overview on changes in the treatment landscape for food allergies.

scholarly journals What about the other 50 percent of the Canadian population? Food allergies ignored in national policy plan

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-289
Author(s):  
Susan Elliott ◽  
Francesca Cardwell
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Canadian Population ◽  
Significant Public Health Problem ◽  
Significant Public Health

Food allergy is a growing public health epidemic in Canada, affecting 50 percent of Canadian households either directly or indirectly. Despite the physical, psychosocial and quality of life impacts to those affected, food allergy has recently been ignored in the Canadian policy context. While the complete etiology of food allergy remains unknown, we have enough information to make strong policy choices that can maximize choice and minimize risk for affected Canadians, and place Canada at the forefront of food allergy management and research. Policy recognizing food allergy as a chronic health issue that represents a significant public health problem in Canada is critical.

scholarly journals Weighing the benefits and risks of oral immunotherapy in clinical practice

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-123
Author(s):  
Aikaterini Anagnostou
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Oral Immunotherapy ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Allergic Reactions ◽  
Immune Modulators ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Working Together

Food allergies are common and affect 6‐8% of children in the United States; they pose a significant burden on the quality of life of children with allergy and their caregivers due to multiple daily restrictions. Despite the recommended dietary avoidance, reactions tend to occur due to unintentional exposure to the allergenic food trigger. Fear of accidental ingestions with potentially severe reactions, including anaphylaxis and death, creates anxiety in individuals with food allergy. Oral immunotherapy has emerged as a form of active and potentially disease-modifying treatment for common food allergies encountered in childhood. The efficacy of oral immunotherapy is high, with the majority of participants achieving desensitization and, as a result, protection from trace exposures and improved quality of life. The main risk of oral immunotherapy consists of allergic reactions to treatment. In general, rates of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis are reported to be higher in individuals pursuing therapy options, but most subjects who undergo oral immunotherapy will likely experience mild or moderate reactions during treatment. Adverse events tend to reduce in both frequency and number in the maintenance period. The use of immune modulators alongside oral immunotherapy has been suggested, with the aim to improve efficacy and safety, and to facilitate the overall process. It is evident that the landscape of food allergy management is changing and that the future looks brighter, with different options emerging over time. The process of how to choose the appropriate option becomes a discussion between the clinician and the patient, which involves a joint review of the current medical evidence but also the patient's preference for balancing particular attributes of the treatment. By working together, providers and patients will ensure achievement of the best possible outcome for children with food allergies.

Potential beneficial effects of kefir and its postbiotic, kefiran, on child food allergy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susy Érika de Lima Barros ◽  
Caique dos Santos Rocha ◽  
Mayara Storel Beserra de Moura ◽  
Mariana Pegrucci Barcelos ◽  
Carlos Henrique Tomich de Paula da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Food allergies are known as the public health problem, affecting people of all age groups, but more commonly in babies and children, with consequences for nutritional status and quality of life.

scholarly journals A study on self-reported food allergy in young adults from various colleges in Kerala, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 4290
Author(s):  
Renata Ann Dias ◽  
Jenyz M. Mundodan ◽  
Sruthi M. V.
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
History Of ◽  
Food Fish

Background: Food allergy is defined as a reproducible adverse immune reaction to food proteins. Food allergies can result in life threatening reactions and diminish quality of life. In the last several decades, prevalence of food allergy has increased in several regions throughout the world.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 321 young adults of the age 17 to 26 years from various colleges in Kerala. The participants were asked to fill out a pretested questionnaire. The data was collected and entered in MS Excel and analyzed.Results: Adverse reactions following food consumption was experienced by 82 respondents (25.5%). Out of these 82 respondents, 38 (46%) had their condition diagnosed by a doctor. 23 respondents had only one episode of such an attack. 41 respondents took medications for the attack. 14 respondents had been hospitalized at least once for such an attack. The most common symptoms following the consumption of food were as follows: vomiting, itching and eczema. The symptoms occur after the consumption of sea food/fish and eggs mostly. 27 respondents had a family history of food allergy.Conclusions: The symptoms of food allergy may vary from minor itching to even anaphylaxis. It is very important to know the causative allergen in the diet to prevent the occurrence of an episode of food allergy. 

scholarly journals Food allergy: knowledge level of food handlers at school canteens

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Liz Martins ◽  
I Estrela
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
School Level ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Knowledge Level ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
High School Level ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
High Knowledge

Abstract Background Food allergy becomes a public health problem whose prevalence in children is increasing. Due to the daily number of children using school canteens, these settings play an important role on allergic reactions prevention, being essential to know the knowledge level of food handlers. Methods This study focused on Portuguese schools of the city of Porto, that daily offer 6500 lunches to children aged 3 to 10 years old. The study was performed in all school canteens having children with food allergies (n = 25). To evaluate knowledge level on food allergy, a questionnaire was applied to all food handlers responsible for meals serving, considering hot topics related to food allergy and cross contamination practices. Each question was scored: 0 (lack); 1 (correct); -1 (incorrect), ranged 0 to 20 points. The knowledge level was converted in a 4-level scale: <50% (non-acceptable); 50-74% (acceptable); 75-89% (good); 90-100% (very good). Results Despite of 44.9% of food handlers presented a good level knowledge, it was observed that 38.8% of participants showed non-acceptable values. The knowledge mean level was 11.9 (±4.1) points. A high knowledge was observed for cooks (13.8±3.0) and canteen managers (20.0±0.0) (p = 0.006), as well as, for a high school level. Only 36.7% of participants had training on food allergy, with no influence on knowledge level (0.610). Participants having training on food safety has a higher knowledge level (13.0±3.9) than food handlers having no training (9.8±3.7) (p = 0.008). The majority of respondents showed to know food handling good practices when exposed to case studies related to food allergy. Conclusions A positive level of knowledge on food allergies was observed for the majority of food handlers. Nevertheless, a high number of participants had no training on food allergy. This work has a potential impact on children's health, awareness for the need to implement regular training actions and surveillance systems at school canteens. Key messages A large number of food handlers showed non-acceptable knowledge levels and no training on food allergy. Professional category influenced knowledge, being important the motivation and training of all employees.

scholarly journals Impacts of mindfulness-based interventions in people undergoing hemodialysis: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Nunes Razzera ◽  
Angélica Nickel Adamoli ◽  
Maitê Freitas Ranheiri ◽  
Margareth da Silva Oliveira ◽  
Ana Maria Pandolfo Feoli
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Complementary Therapy ◽  
Chronic Illnesses ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Dietary Restrictions ◽  
Psychological Comorbidities ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Abstract Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious public health problem worldwide, leading to a series of physical and psychological comorbidities, in addition to costly treatments, lifestyle and dietary restrictions. There is evidence that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) offer complementary treatment for people with chronic illnesses, including CKD, with the aim of improving overall health, reducing side effects and treatment costs. This review aims to investigate the MBIs impact on people with CKD undergoing hemodialysis, and to identify the methodological quality of the current literature in order to support future studies. Methods: We ran searches in five databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus) in July 2020. The papers were selected and evaluated by two reviewers independently, using predefined criteria, including the Cochrane Group's risk of bias tool and its recommendations (CRD42020192936). Results: Of the 175 studies found, 6 randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria, and ranged from 2014 to 2019. There were significant improvements in symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, sleep quality, and quality of life (n=3) in the groups submitted to the intervention, in addition to physical measures such as blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate (n=1). Conclusions: MBIs can offer a promising and safe complementary therapy for people with CKD undergoing hemodialysis, acting on quality of life and physical aspects of the disease.

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF ADVERSE DRUG REACTION REPORT FORMS ON THE MEDICINES, USED FOR AIDS TREATMENT (REGISTERED IN THE REPUBLIC OF CRIMEA IN THE PERIOD FROM 2011 TO 2016)

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 568-583
Author(s):  
A. V. Matveev ◽  
A. Е. Krasheninnikov ◽  
E. A. Egorova ◽  
E. I. Konyaeva
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Adverse Drug Reaction ◽  
Drug Reaction ◽  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Republic

According to the data of the World Health Organization (WHO), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major global public health problem.The mainmethod of treating HIV is using highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which is the use of multiple medicines acting on different viral targets. The timely onset of HAART can suppress the replication of the virus in the human body and helps to strengthen its immune system and restore its ability to fight infections. At the same time, the choice of medicines to improve the quality of life and patients’ compliance during antiretroviral therapy should be based on their effectiveness and safety. The aim of this research was to analyze and study the adverse reactions that occur in patients with HIV living in the territory of the Republic of Crimea, when using HAART.Materials and methods.The objects of research were 274 report cards about the adverse reactions, registered in the regional base (registry) of spontaneous messages called ARCADe (Adverse Reactions in Crimea, Autonomic Database) for the period from 2011 to 2016.Results.The results of the study showed that the most often adverse reactions were observed when using medicines of the group of Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTI). This is explained by the inclusion of NRTI medicines as the main medicine in the method of HAART. Efavirenz (EFV) and Nevirapine (NVP) were absolute leaders among these groups of antiretroviral medicines. Among the combined antiviral medicines active against HIV, the most frequently adverse reactions were associated with the use of a combination of Lamivudine (3TC) and Zidovudine (ZDV). The main clinical manifestations of adverse reactions in the use of combination medicines for treating HIV were a decrease in the level of hemoglobin and the development of anemia. At the same time, in 85% of cases, the patients needed medication in order to correct the resulting adverse drug reaction (ADR). The combination of antiretroviral therapy has often been associated with the development of serious ADR. In case of monotherapy, the main clinical manifestations of adverse reactions were disorders of the central nervous system (dizziness, hallucinations, sleep disorders) and allergic reactions of varying severity (including 1 case of angioedema to “Eferven” (Efavirenz (EFV)),600 mg). Hereby, in almost half of the cases, the usage of antiretroviral medicines of the NRTI group and protease inhibitors caused the development of serious side effects. This confirms the necessity to study and analyze adverse reactions in order to increase the safety of patients’ pharmacotherapy and improve their quality of life.Conclusion.The study of adverse reactions to the medicines used for treatment of HIV is of a paramount importance in improving the safety and compliance of HIV patients to lifelong pharmacotherapy.

Food Allergies

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Greenhawt
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Adverse Reaction ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Eosinophilic Esophagitis ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
The United States ◽  
Oral Allergy Syndrome ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Food Protein

Food allergy represents a rapidly growing public health problem in the United States and other westernized nations. Adverse reactions to foods are categorized as either immunologic or nonimmunologic reactions. This distinction is highly important but often confusing to patients and physicians unfamiliar with allergy, who may simply describe any adverse reaction to a food as an “allergy.” A food allergy is an immune-mediated, adverse reaction to one or more protein allergens in a particular food item involving recognition of that protein by specifically targeted IgE or allergen-specific T cells. This chapter discusses the definition, pathophysiology, epidemiology, testing, management, prognosis, and natural history of food allergy. Clinical manifestations are systematically covered, including cutaneous, respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal reactions, as well as eosinophilic esophagitis, food protein–induced enterocolitis syndrome, and oral allergy syndrome. Emerging treatments such as food oral immunotherapy are also reviewed. Tables outline signs and symptoms of immediate hypersensitivity reactions to food, the prevalence of major food allergens in the United States, common patterns of cross-reactivity among foods, clinical criteria for the diagnosis of anaphylaxis, and clinical studies involving treatment for food allergies. Figures illustrate the classification of adverse reactions to food, esophageal histology, visual and radiographic features of eosinophilic esophagitis, and a food allergy action plan. This review contains 4 figures, 8 tables, and 64 references. KeyWords: Food allergy, Hypersensitivity, IgE-mediated allergy, Eosinophilic esophagitis, Anaphylaxis

scholarly journals Psychosocial issues and quality of life associated with food allergy

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-98
Author(s):  
Rita Kachru
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Peer Pressure ◽  
Adolescent And Young Adult ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Psychosocial Issues ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
The Family ◽  
School Events

The day-to-day challenges involved in caring for a child with food allergies can be a significant stress within a family. As the child with a food allergy grows up, developmental changes as well as external influences such as bullying and peer pressure can further influence these stressors. When the child with a food allergy is young, the family may be limited on where they can vacation or go out to restaurants, which can cause tension and frustration within the family. Hypervigilance and fear of accidental exposure to the allergen takes an emotional and physical toll on the child with a food allergy and the child’s family. Socially, children with a food allergy may have to limit participation in school events, parties, or camps. These limitations can cause feelings of isolation for the child and feelings of guilt for the parents. As the child becomes an adolescent and young adult (AYA), increased autonomy of dining options and a desire to fit in with peers can trigger higher risk-taking behavior, which can be a source of anxiety for the AYA as well as the caregivers. The aim of this review was to describe potential negative psychosocial impacts of having a food allergy for the family. Data were reviewed from a literature search of medical literature data bases between 2010 and 2020 by using the search terms “food allergy,” “psychosocial,” “anxiety,” and” quality of life.” As we better recognize the psychosocial issues associated with food allergies, we will have a better ability to develop effective interventions to improve the quality of life for these families.

scholarly journals Interdisciplinary Significance of Food-Related Adverse Reactions in Adulthood

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3725
Author(s):  
Dóra Solymosi ◽  
Miklós Sárdy ◽  
Györgyi Pónyai
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Biogenic Amines ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Immunoglobulin E ◽  
Oral Allergy Syndrome ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Detailed Medical History

Background: Adults frequently interpret food-associated adverse reactions as indicators of a food allergy. However, the public perception of food allergy may differ from a clinician’s point of view. The prevalence of patient-reported food allergy tends to be higher than physician-confirmed cases. Dermatological manifestations (urticaria, pruritus, dermatitis, and edema) are frequently reported by patients. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe patient-reported symptoms related to suspected food allergies and particularly to characterize and highlight the volume of patients who visit Budapest allergy clinics with suspected food allergies. Methods: In this prospective study, adult (≥18 years) patients were examined at the Allergology Outpatient Unit of the Dept. of Dermatology, Venereology, and Dermatooncology, Semmelweis University, Budapest. The examination included a detailed medical history; physical examination; and when necessary the measurement of allergen-specific serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Results: Data from 501 patients (393 women, 108 men) were analyzed. Intolerance to dietary biogenic amines occurred in 250 cases (250/501, 50%). Oral allergy syndrome was confirmed in 71 patients (71/501, 14%). Allergy to food preservatives was diagnosed in 14 (14/501, 3%) cases by a dermatologist-allergist specialist. Five individuals (5/501, 1%) were diagnosed with IgE-mediated food allergy. In some cases (28/501, 6%), edema-inducing/enhancing side effects of drugs were observed which patients had misattributed to various foods. Among the food groups considered to be provoking factors, the most frequently mentioned were fruits (198/501, 40%), milk/dairy products (174/501, 35%), and nuts/oilseeds (144/501, 29%). Overwhelmingly, urticaria (47%) was the most common dermatological diagnosis, followed by dermatitis (20%) and allergic contact dermatitis (8%). Conclusion: Improvement is needed in food allergy, food intolerance, and general nutritional knowledge among the general public. According to our data, perceived/self-reported food allergies were overestimated by adults when compared against physician-confirmed food allergies; however, other diseases potentially responsible for food-related problems were underestimated. The prevalence of oral allergy syndrome was high in the cohort. Intolerance to dietary biogenic amines was common, and although the role of dietary histamine and biogenic amine is not entirely understood in eliciting patients’ symptoms, improvements in complaints were reported during the control visits.

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