Revaccination outcomes among adolescents and adults with suspected hypersensitivity reactions following COVID-19 vaccination: A Canadian immunization research network study.

Background: COVID-19 vaccination has been associated with anaphylaxis and hypersensitivity reactions. Infectious disease physicians and allergists in the Canadian Special Immunization Clinic (SIC) Network developed guidance for evaluating patients with adverse events following immunization (AEFI) including suspected hypersensitivity. This study evaluated management and adverse event recurrence following subsequent COVID-19 vaccinations.

Abatacept to induce remission of peanut allergy during oral immunotherapy (ATARI): protocol for a phase 2a randomized controlled trial.

Context: While oral immunotherapy (OIT) has been shown to promote the remission of mild peanut allergy in young children, there is still an unmet need for a disease-modifying intervention for older patients and those with severe diseases. In mice models, abatacept, a cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) immunoglobulin fusion protein, has been shown to promote immune tolerance to food when used as an adjuvant to allergen immunotherapy. The goal of this study is to explore the potential efficacy of abatacept in promoting immune tolerance to food allergens during OIT in humans.

Simulation-based education to improve management of refractory anaphylaxis in an allergy clinic.

Background: High-fidelity simulations based on real-life clinical scenarios have frequently been used to improve patient care, knowledge and teamwork in the acute care setting. Still, they are seldom included in the allergy-immunology curriculum or continuous medical education. Our main goal was to assess if critical care simulations in allergy improved performance in the clinical setting.

Specific IgE to Total IgE Ratio Does Not Improve Peanut Diagnostic Accuracy in Adults.

Background: Peanut specific IgE (sIgE) can lead to false-positive results.

Objective: We aimed to assess whether peanut sIgE to total IgE (tIgE) ratio improves accuracy in predicting clinical reactivity to peanut compared to peanut sIgE alone, which has not been explored in the adult population so far.

Method: A retrospective chart review was performed for adults who underwent peanut oral food challenge (OFC) and/or oral immunotherapy (OIT) at the Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal's allergy clinic between January 2017 and July 2021.

Evaluation of Adverse Reactions to Vaccines.

The development and widespread use of vaccination over the past centuries has been the single most impactful intervention in public health, by effectively preventing morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases. Vaccination is generally well tolerated in the vast majority of the population, and the benefits of vaccination largely outweigh the risk of severe adverse events in the majority of patients. Vaccine hesitancy can be a significant concern and lead to infectious disease outbreaks.

Potential Efficacy of High-Dose Inhaled Salbutamol for the Treatment of Abdominal Pain During Oral Food Challenge.

Background: Abdominal pain is a frequent symptom of IgE-mediated food allergy with limited therapeutic options. Visceral smooth muscle cell relaxation can be induced through beta-adrenergic stimulation.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of inhaled salbutamol empirically used to relieve abdominal pain caused by IgE-mediated allergic reactions at 1 center.

Beta-2 Agonists May be Superior to Epinephrine to Relieve Severe Anaphylactic Uterine Contractions.

Background: Uterine contractions are recognized as a potential manifestation of anaphylaxis, but literature on their proper management is limited. It is widely recognized that anaphylactic reactions can cause uterine contractions, but little is known about their optimal management.

Objective: Review potential treatments for painful uterine contractions associated with anaphylaxis or mast cell activation.

Determinants of omalizumab dose-related efficacy in oral immunotherapy: Evidence from a cohort of 181 patients.

Background: Omalizumab has been shown to improve the safety and feasibility of oral immunotherapy (OIT), but the optimal dosage strategy is unknown.

Objective: Our aim was to identify determinants of omalizumab dose-related efficacy in the context of OIT.

Methods: The study sample consisted of a clinical cohort of 181 patients treated with omalizumab-enabled oral immunotherapy at 3 centers.

Sensitivity and specificity of double-blinded penicillin skin testing in relation to oral provocation with amoxicillin in children.

Current recommendations for the management of penicillin allergy are to perform penicillin skin testing (PST) with penicilloyl-polylysine (PPL) and benzylpenicillin (BP) prior to drug challenge with amoxicillin. However, the role of PST is increasingly questioned in the pediatric setting. To resolve the question of PST's diagnostic accuracy, consecutive children with a history of non-life-threatening penicillin allergy referred to a tertiary-care allergy center were recruited to undergo double-blinded PST with PPL and BP prior to drug provocation to amoxicillin.

Immunoglobulin E-Binding Pattern of Canadian Peanut Allergic Children and Cross-Reactivity with Almond, Hazelnut and Pistachio.

Peanut allergic individuals can be both co-sensitized and co-allergic to peanut and tree nuts. At the moment, standard diagnostic approaches do not always allow differentiation between clinically relevant sensitization and nonsignificant cross-reactions, and the responsibility of each allergen remains unclear. The objective of this study was therefore to determine a peanut sensitization profile in a cohort of Canadian peanut allergic children and assess the immunoglobulin E (IgE) molecular cross-reactivity between peanut, almond, hazelnut and pistachio.

SF-6Dv2 preference value set for health utility in food allergy.

Background: The lack of a value set allowing the calculation of QALY is an important limitation when establishing the value of emerging therapies to treat food allergy. The aim of this study was to develop a Short-Form Six-Dimension version 2 (SF-6Dv2) preference value set for the calculation of health utility from the Canadian food-allergic population.

Methods: Two hundred ninety-five parents of patients aged 0-17 years old and 154 patients aged 12 years old and above with food allergy were recruited in clinic and online.

Correction to: Protocol for a double-blind, randomized controlled trial on the dose-related efficacy of omalizumab in multi-food oral immunotherapy.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13223-020-00419-z.].

Protocol for a double-blind, randomized controlled trial on the dose-related efficacy of omalizumab in multi-food oral immunotherapy.

Background: Previous proof-of-concept studies have shown that a short course of omalizumab can safely accelerate the oral immunotherapy schedule for multiple allergens simultaneously. Considering the high cost of medication, the dose-related efficacy of omalizumab at decreasing the duration of oral immunotherapy up-dosing phase must be objectively quantified before cost-benefit analyses can be performed. The primary objective of this trial will be to compare the efficacy of 2 omalizumab dosages to placebo at decreasing time-to-maintenance dose during a symptom-driven multi-food OIT protocol.