Peanut allergy? Science tests skin patch as treatment

The allergy to peanut it is widely recognized as one of the most prevalent and dangerous food allergies among all others.

Parents of allergic children, for example, are always on the alert, facing constant concerns to avoid situations that can turn fun times, such as birthday parties and games, into unexpected visits to the emergency room doctor.

A promising experimental solution for the treatment of children highly allergic to peanuts is the use of a patch applied to the skin, which aims to train their bodies to deal with possible exposure accidental.

Of course, there is no cure for peanut allergy and the only treatment available is for children as young as 4 years old, who can consume a special powder to protect them from a severe reaction.

Faced with this frightening prospect, an experimental sticker called Viaskin, which aims to provide this type of treatment through the skin. Check out the new treatment proposal!

Skin patch can prevent peanut allergy

According to researchers, in a large test of 1- to 3-year-olds who could not tolerate even a small fraction of of peanuts, the patch showed promise, allowing them to eat small amounts of the food with security.

As per the words of Dr. Matthew Greenhawt, an allergy specialist at Children's Hospital Colorado and one of the research leaders, should the additional tests obtain positive results, the experimental adhesive intended for the treatment of peanut allergy could meet a significant need that has not been addressed so far. addressed.

Approximately 2% of children in the United States suffer from a peanut allergy, with some having a condition so severe that even a small amount of this food can trigger a potentially fatal reaction.

These children's immune systems overreact to peanut-containing foods, triggering a response. inflammation that manifests itself through symptoms such as hives and difficulty breathing, and may even progress to more serious.

French company DBV Technologies is exploring skin immunotherapy as an alternative approach to desensitizing the body to allergens. The Viaskin patch contains a small amount of peanut protein and is applied to the skin.

The patch is placed daily between the shoulder blades, an area where children cannot easily remove it.

In this way, peanut protein is gradually absorbed into the skin, aiming to induce an immune response that reduces allergic sensitivity to peanuts over time.

Study result

In the recent study, a total of 362 children with peanut allergies were given a baseline test to determine the maximum dose of peanut protein they could tolerate.

Then they were randomly divided into two groups: one group used the Viaskin patch, while the other group used a placebo patch, both applied daily.

After one year of using the patches, the participants were subjected to new tests and the results indicated that about two thirds of the children who used the patch Viaskin were able to safely ingest a larger amount of peanuts, corresponding to about three to four.

As for the group that used the fake patch, only about a third were able to ingest the same amount safely. According with the doctor. Greenhawt, it is possible that this group also included children who were already outgrowing their allergy.

The results of the study, which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, were positive news for young children and their families, representing an important advance in the development of treatments for food allergies.

This prospect of advancement was highlighted by Dr. Alkis Togias, from National Institutes of Health, in an editorial that accompanied the publication of the results, despite not having participated directly in the study.

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