Background:The effect of oral immunotherapy (OIT) on wheat allergy is promising in terms of the potential to obtain desensitization; however, the frequency of exerciseinduced allergic reactions on desensitization (EIARDs) and the associated risk factors remain to be determined.
Methods:Twenty-five patients underwent rush OIT for wheat allergy, and 21 achieved the full-dose intake of wheat products (5 g of wheat protein). Exerciseprovocation tests were repeatedly performed after the ingestion of a full-dose wheat product. The time-course of the levels of the specific IgEs (sIgE) to wheat extract, total gliadin, deamidated gliadin, recombinant gliadin components (α/β-, γ-and ω-5-), and glutenin (high and low molecular weight) components was analyzed using ImmunoCAP ® , ELISA, or IgE immunoblotting.Results: Fourteen patients (66.7%) were diagnosed as EIARD+, which remained 5 years after rush OIT in 11 patients (52.4%). There were no differences in the clinical backgrounds of the EIARD+ and EIARD− patients. However, EIARD+ patients showed significantly higher sIgE levels to all gliadin and glutenin components than EIARD-patients before OIT. The sIgE levels to each component decreased equally after 1 and 2 years of OIT. On IgE immunoblotting, sera from all patients reacted to the multiple gluten bands, and some reacted to the water-soluble bands. The intensity of all IgE-reactive bands also became equally lighter after OIT.
Conclusions:EIARDs were frequently observed and remained for a long period after successful OIT for wheat allergy. None of the specific wheat components were found to contribute to EIARDs. K E Y W O R D S allergen component, exercise-induced allergic reaction, exercise-provocation test, oral immunotherapy, wheat allergy | 1415 FURUTA eT Al.