No abstract

PEW OIT is an effective treatment for children with persistent egg allergy. A 30% weekly plus 5% daily increment pattern could be more effective and safer than one with only 30% weekly increments.

No abstract

Severe delayed drug-induced skin reactions in children are not common but potentially serious. This article describes aspects concerning the etiology, pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of these processes; it presents three paediatric cases, namely STS (Steven Johnson Syndrome), TEN (toxic epidermal necrolysis), probably related to amoxicillin/clavulanate and ibuprofen and DRESS (a drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms) secondary to phenytoin; and in relation to them, the diagnosis and the treatment of these processes are discussed and reviewed. The AGEP (acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis) is also reviewed. The aetiological diagnosis of severe non-immediate reactions is difficult, and the value of current allergological testing is not well defined in these cases. Diagnosis is based on clinical history, the empirical risk of drugs to trigger SJS/TEN or DRESS, and the in vivo and in vitro testing of the suspect drug. Skin biopsy confirms that the clinical diagnosis and delayed hypersensitivity tests, especially the patch test and the lymphoblastic transformation test (LTT), may be important to confirm the aetiological diagnosis, in our cases emphasising the latter. These diseases can be life threatening (especially DRESS and TEN) and/or have a high rate of major complications or sequelae (SJS/TEN). The three cases described progressed well without sequelae. All were treated with corticosteroids, which is the most currently accepted treatment although the effect has not been clearly demonstrated.

Background It is unknown which are the most suitable maintenance pattern and egg consumption to maintain the desensitization state after ending the oral immunotherapy (OIT). This multicenter, randomized, controlled trial compared two OIT maintenance patterns with pasteurized egg white (PEW), evaluating the egg consumption effect on the desensitization state after ending the OIT. Methods One hundred and one children with confirmed egg allergy were randomized: 25 to an egg‐free diet (CG) and 76 to an OIT year with PEW and two maintenance patterns, 38 patients to daily 3.3 g proteins (AG) and 38 to every two days (BG). PEW challenge (DBPCFC), adverse reactions, and immune markers were assessed at baseline, at the end of the OIT, and at 6 and 12 months later on ad libitum egg consumption (T0, T12, T18, and T24). A questionnaire evaluated the egg consumption at T18. Results At T12, 64 of 76 (84.21%) OIT patients had reached total desensitization (32 AG and 32 BG) vs 4 of 25 (16.00%) CG who passed the PEW DBPCFC. Thirty (93.75%) AG vs 25 (78.12%) BG patients completed an OIT year. At T18, 27 of 29 (93.1%) AG vs 20 of 24 (83.3%) BG passed the PEW DBPCFC, 96% consuming at least two egg servings/week. At T24, 97.43% OIT patients passed the challenge. Most patients had adverse reactions, more frequent in the BG patients; frequency and severity of reactions decreased through the study. PEW skin prick test wheal and sIgE antibody serum levels similarly decreased in AG or BG, but AG patients had greater increase in PEW sIgG4 (P < 0.05). Conclusions Daily OIT maintenance achieves better adherence, effectiveness, and safety. Two egg servings/week ensure maintained desensitization after the end of an OIT year.