SUMMARYBackground: The possibility of inducing oral desensitization in patients with food allergy is still controversial and no standardized programmes are yet available. Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral desensitization in patients with allergy induced by the most common food allergens. Methods: Fifty-nine patients with food allergy underwent an oral desensitizing treatment according to standardized protocols. The control group consisted of age-and sex-matched subjects, who followed a strict elimination diet. Specific immunoglobulin E and immunoglobulin G 4 were assessed at baseline and after 6, 12 and 18 months.

The possibility of obtaining oral desensitization in patients with food allergy is still a matter of debate. We decided to evaluate the safety and efficacy of standardized protocols for oral desensitization with the most common food allergens. Forty-two children (ages up to 16 years) diagnosed as affected by food allergy (on the basis of clinical history, skin prick tests, measurement of specific IgE, and double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge) underwent a sublingual-oral desensitizing treatment according to new standardized protocols. The control group consisted of 10 patients who followed an elimination diet. The treatment was successfully completed by 85.7% of the patients. Specific IgE showed a significant decrease, while specific IgG(4) showed a significant increase, in all treated patients. The immunological modifications observed in our patients lead us to hypothesize that oral tolerance may be mediated by the same mechanisms as those involved in traditional desensitizing treatments for respiratory and insect sting allergy.

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We present 12 cases of latex allergy in patients who underwent desensitization by a sublingual exposure protocol. This study provides evidence that a safe therapeutic approach to latex allergy is possible.