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Diagnostic algorithm for food allergy diagnosis

Diagnostic algorithm for food allergy diagnosis

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Food allergies are defined as adverse immune responses to food proteins that result in typical clinical symptoms involving the dermatologic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and/or neurologic systems. IgE-mediated food-allergic disease differs from non-IgE-mediated disease because the pathophysiology results from activation of the imm...

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Basophil activation test (BAT) or the mast cell activation test (MAT) are two in vitro tests that are currently being studied in food allergy as diagnostic tools as an alternative to oral food challenges (OFCs). We conducted a meta‐analysis on BAT and MAT, assessing their specificity and sensitivity in diagnosing peanut allergy. Six databases were...

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... Food allergy causes clinical symptoms systemically and/or locally in cutaneous, respiratory, ocular and gastrointestinal tissues. [1][2][3] Allergic enteritis (AE) is a clinical manifestation of gastrointestinal food allergy. 4 AE mimics in mice some traits observed in patients with food allergy-associated intestinal inflammation characterized by thicker basal layer, crypt elongation, villous atrophy and granulocyte infiltration. ...
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Background The pathological mechanism of the gastrointestinal forms of food allergies is less understood in comparison to other clinical phenotypes, such as asthma and anaphylaxis Importantly, high‐IgE levels are a poor prognostic factor in gastrointestinal allergies. Methods This study investigated how high‐IgE levels influence the development of intestinal inflammation and the metabolome in allergic enteritis (AE), using IgE knock‐in (IgEki) mice expressing high levels of IgE. In addition, correlation of the altered metabolome with gut microbiome was analysed. Results Ovalbumin‐sensitized and egg‐white diet‐fed (OVA/EW) BALB/c WT mice developed moderate AE, whereas OVA/EW IgEki mice induced more aggravated intestinal inflammation with enhanced eosinophil accumulation. Untargeted metabolomics detected the increased levels of N‐tau‐methylhistamine and 2,3‐butanediol, and reduced levels of butyric acid in faeces and/or sera of OVA/EW IgEki mice, which was accompanied with reduced Clostridium and increased Lactobacillus at the genus level. Non‐sensitized and egg‐white diet‐fed (NC/EW) WT mice did not exhibit any signs of AE, whereas NC/EW IgEki mice developed marginal degrees of AE. Compared to NC/EW WT mice, enhanced levels of lysophospholipids, sphinganine and sphingosine were detected in serum and faecal samples of NC/EW IgEki mice. In addition, several associations of altered metabolome with gut microbiome—for example Akkermansia with lysophosphatidylserine—were detected. Conclusions Our results suggest that high‐IgE levels alter intestinal and systemic levels of endogenous and microbiota‐associated metabolites in experimental AE. This study contributes to deepening the knowledge of molecular mechanisms for the development of AE and provides clues to advance diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of allergic diseases.
... The most frequent allergic reactions, known as IgE-mediate reactions, are brought on by the binding of allergen-specific IgE antibodies to basophils and mast cells. This causes the release of histamine and other inflammatory mediators, which lead to the manifestation of allergy symptoms [6,7]. Current medications and treatments used to manage persistent allergies often show limited effectiveness [8,9]. ...
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Background Allergic disorders, prevalent global health concerns, afflict a substantial portion of the world’s population. These maladies result from an exaggerated immune system response to ordinarily innocuous substances, such as pollen, dust mites, and specific dietary components. Clinical manifestations of this heightened immune response include itching, swelling, and respiratory impairment, often accompanied by releasing mediators like histamine. The pathophysiological mechanisms of allergy disorders are intricate, arising from a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. While clinical presentations may vary, all allergy conditions share a common foundation in the dysregulated immune response to allergens. Result The current aim of this study was to identify innovative anti-allergic agents capable of inhibiting histamine and effectively mitigating allergic reactions by utilizing the computer-aided drug design approach by discovery studio (DS) 2022 v 23.1.1 package. The overarching aim was identifying potential drug candidates targeting the active site within the histamine H1 receptor complex; therefore, a collection of 4000 small druggable compounds was curated from ZINC, PubChem, and DRUG BANK databases sources. Four compounds appeared as promising candidates after assessing docking scores and binding energies. Notably, Compound ID 34154, recognized as tymazoline, showed the highest affinity for the H1 receptor of 3RZE, suggesting it may be the most promising choice for more research. Further chemoinformatic and ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) analyses were conducted to assess the drug-like qualities of this chosen molecule. In addition, bioisosteric substitution techniques were employed to enhance tymazoline’s ADMET characteristics. Conclusion Tymazoline shows strong binding affinity with 3RZE and verified all the drug-likeness criteria to inhibit the allergic disorders. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) studies corroborated tymazoline’s potential as an anti-allergic agent, demonstrating contact between the ligand and the receptor that is well defined and stable.
... T-regs encourage the maintenance of tolerance through the expression of CTLA-4, which inhibits Th2 T cells, and the release of the cytokines TGF-β and IL-10. TGF-β and IL-10 suppress mast cells, eosinophils, and basophils (the effector cells that promote allergic symptoms), promote the keeping of IgA in the intestinal lumen and the production of IgG4, and reduce the production of IgE by B cells [58]. The impairment of oral tolerance mechanisms can trigger the development of FA [59]. ...
... Sensitization is defined as the condition in which food-specific IgE is detectable in the serum, becoming a possible trigger factor for clinical manifestations of FA. This phase occurs when a food allergen crosses a compromised epithelial barrier and is captured by dendritic cells in a context of inflammatory cytokines such as thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), IL-25, and IL-33, thereby inducing a Th2-type response [58,[60][61][62]. Differentiated Th2 cells can migrate from draining lymph nodes into the intestinal lamina propria and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-5 and IL-13, to further promote the differentiation of effector cells such as eosinophils and basophils [58,63,64]. ...
... This phase occurs when a food allergen crosses a compromised epithelial barrier and is captured by dendritic cells in a context of inflammatory cytokines such as thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), IL-25, and IL-33, thereby inducing a Th2-type response [58,[60][61][62]. Differentiated Th2 cells can migrate from draining lymph nodes into the intestinal lamina propria and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-5 and IL-13, to further promote the differentiation of effector cells such as eosinophils and basophils [58,63,64]. In addition, innate lymphoid cells type 2 (ICL2) also play an important role in the onset of FA through the secretion of cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-13 [65]. ...
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... In contrast to non-IgE mediational allergy, which has a delayed onset, IgE mediational allergy triggers the release of histamine and other mediators, leading to a rapid onset of symptoms [68]. Symptoms of IgE-mediated CMA symptoms include eczema and urticaria. ...
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... WAO systemic allergic reaction grading system[3]. ...
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Food allergy (FA) has become a common global public health issue, with a growing prevalence in the modern world and a significant impact on the lives of patients, their families, and caregivers. It affects every area of life and is associated with elevated costs. Food allergy is an adverse immune reaction that occurs in response to a given food. The symptoms vary from mild to severe and can lead to anaphylaxis. This is why it is important to focus on the factors influencing the occurrence of food allergies, specific diagnostic methods, effective therapies, and especially prevention. Recently, many guidelines have emphasized the impact of introducing specific foods into a child’s diet at an early age in order to prevent food allergies. Childhood allergies vary with age. In infants, the most common allergy is to cow’s milk. Later in life, peanut allergy is more frequently diagnosed. Numerous common childhood allergies can be outgrown by adulthood. Adults can also develop new IgE-mediated FA. The gold standard for diagnosis is the oral provocation test. Skin prick tests, specific IgE measurements, and component-resolved diagnostic techniques are helpful in the diagnosis. Multiple different approaches are being tried as possible treatments, such as immunotherapy or monoclonal antibodies. This article focuses on the prevention and quality of life of allergic patients. This article aims to systematize the latest knowledge and highlight the differences between food allergies in pediatric and adult populations.
... In addition to environmental pollution, immunologic interactions with allergenic proteins, such as food and potentially insect bites, can trigger IgE-mediated allergic reactions. These interactions are potential contributors to the increasing incidence of this allergic airway disease [3,4]. ...
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... life-threatening allergic reaction. 2,3 More than 160 foods may cause FA, with varying prevalence rates by specific food and population affected. 4 Peanut allergy (PA) is one of the most common IgE-mediated FA in childhood. ...
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Peanut allergy affects about 1%–3% of the pediatric population in the world, with an important increase in the last decades. Nowadays, international guidelines recommend the early introduction of peanuts in the infant diet, with poor information about the quantity and the frequency of the intake. Allergen immunotherapy may represent the only therapeutic strategy able to modify the natural history of peanut allergy. In particular, oral immunotherapy showed the most promising results in terms of efficacy, but with significant rates of adverse reactions, mostly gastrointestinal. In 2020, the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency approved Palforzia®, an oral drug for patients aged 4–17 years. Several studies are ongoing to improve the tolerability of oral immunotherapy and standardize the desensitization protocols. Sublingual immunotherapy permits to offer much lower doses than oral immunotherapy, but fewer adverse events are shown. Subcutaneous immunotherapy is associated with the greatest systemic adverse effects. Epicutaneous immunotherapy, for which Viaskin® patch was approved, has the highest safety profile. Innovative studies are evaluating the use of biological drugs, such as omalizumab or dupilumab, and probiotics, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, in monotherapy or associated with oral immunotherapy. Therapy for peanut allergy is constantly evolving, and new perspectives are ongoing to develop. image
... These allergic mediators, such as histamine, tryptase, and serotonin, trigger FA attacks [5]. In general, the immune responses are tightly regulated by the immune regulatory system [6]. ...
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... IgE-mediated food allergy is a global health problem that affects millions of persons and affects every aspect of life for the patients. 46 A promising approach to treat food allergies is the use of oral immunotherapy (OIT). OIT consist in a gradual exposure to increasing amounts of allergen can lead to many subjects tolerating doses of food sufficient to prevent reaction on accidental exposure. ...
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... It can be categorized into three types: immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated, non-IgE mediated, or mixed (6). IgE-mediated food allergy is typically characterized by exposure to very small amounts of allergic foods triggering clinical symptoms within minutes to hours after ingestion (5,7). In contrast, non-IgE mediated food allergy has a delayed onset of symptoms, often presenting chronically, making the association with the specific allergens obscure and challenging to diagnose (7). ...
... IgE-mediated food allergy is typically characterized by exposure to very small amounts of allergic foods triggering clinical symptoms within minutes to hours after ingestion (5,7). In contrast, non-IgE mediated food allergy has a delayed onset of symptoms, often presenting chronically, making the association with the specific allergens obscure and challenging to diagnose (7). Manifestations primarily include skin reactions (such as AD, contact dermatitis, and herpetiformis), respiratory reactions (such as Heinner syndrome), or gastrointestinal reactions such as eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) (8). ...
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Allergic diseases in children are major public health concerns due to their widespread and rising prevalence. Food-specific immunoglobulin G4(FS-IgG4) has been detected in patients with allergic diseases, but its clinical significance is still debated. In the present study, 407 children with allergic diseases were recruited and categorized into three groups according to the different systems involved: the respiratory system group, the skin system group, and a multiple system group, with the collection of clinical symptoms and serum antibodies, including total immunoglobulin E (IgE), house dust mite (HDM) IgE, food-specific IgE (FS-IgE), and FS-IgG4. Part of these patients were followed up with the intervention of FS-IgG4-guided diet elimination with or without add-on probiotics supplement. The analysis at baseline revealed distinct serum levels of different antibodies. The positive rate of FS-IgG4 in all groups was more than 80%, and the proportion of total IgE and FS-IgG4 both positive in the multi-system group was the highest (p=0.039). Egg and milk were the foods with the highest positive rate of FS-IgG4 in all groups. After diet elimination for more than 3 months, serum FS-IgG4 in children significantly decreased (P<0.05) along with the improvement of clinical symptoms, regardless of the add-on of probiotics. However, the intervention did not impact the serum levels of total IgE, FS-IgE, and HDM IgE. There was no further decrease of serum FS-IgG4 level in children followed up for more than 1 year, which may be related to noncompliance with diet elimination. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the decline of serum FS-IgG4 was an independent predictable factor for the improvement of clinical symptoms (adjusted OR:1.412,95%CI 1.017–1.96, p=0.039). The add-on of probiotics showed less efficiency in reducing the FS-IgG4 level in more patients with relief of clinical symptoms. Our results confirmed the correlation between FS-IgG4 and allergic diseases, and the decreased FS-IgG4 could be a useful predictor for the improvement of allergic symptoms. FS-IgG4-guided diet elimination is an efficient treatment for allergic diseases. Our study adds solid data to the clinical significance of FS-IgG4 in allergic diseases.