The use of adjunctive therapies during oral immunotherapy: A focus on biologics.

Oral immunotherapy (OIT), thus far, is the most evaluated therapeutic approach for food allergy. However, OIT is not known to lead to a cure, and it carries a risk for allergic reactions. Adjunct therapies to OIT are currently being investigated to evaluate their effect on safety and outcome.

Quality of Life Evaluation in Saudi Arabian Pediatric Patients with Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases Receiving 20% Subcutaneous IgG Infusions at Home.

Background And Aims: Subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) home infusion is widely used as an alternative to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). This study aimed to determine the quality of life (QoL) of patients with primary immunodeficiency (PID) after switching to home-based SCIG.

Methods: In this prospective open-label single-center study, QoL was determined using the validated Arabic version of the Child Health Questionnaire at baseline and 3 and 6 months after switching from IVIG to SCIG.

Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Hospitalized children with Community-Acquired Pneumonia in a Secondary Care Center.

Background: Narrow-spectrum antibiotics are recommended as the first-line therapy for management of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). There are limited data evaluating the antibiotic prescription patterns for CAP in Saudi Arabia. The goal of this study to report on the antibiotic patterns in children hospitalized with CAP.

Adherence to Asthma Controller Therapy Among Children in Majmaah City, Saudi Arabia.

Background and objective Improving adherence to asthma medications may prevent asthma exacerbation, which is associated with a decline in lung function. The purpose of this study was to assess the adherence to asthma controller therapy and the factors that might influence the level of adherence among asthmatic children. Materials and methods We conducted a prospective observational study at the King Khalid Hospital in Majmaah, Saudi Arabia between January and April 2020; the study was conducted among children aged 1-14 years with a diagnosis of asthma.

Biologics and Novel Therapies for Food Allergy.

Food allergy is a significant public health burden affecting around 10% of adults and 8% of children. Although the first peanut oral immunotherapy product received Food and Drug Administration approval in 2020, there is still an unmet need for more effective therapeutic options that minimize the risk of anaphylaxis, nutritional deficiencies, and patient's quality of life. Biologics are promising modalities, as they may improve compliance, target multiple food allergies, and treat other concomitant atopic diseases.

Novel Therapies for Treatment of Food Allergy.

Food allergy prevalence has increased over the past 2 decades and is estimated to affect 8% of children and 4% to 10% of adults. There is an unmet need to evaluate new therapeutic modalities that may decrease the risk of food-induced anaphylaxis and improve patients' quality of life. Oral, epicutaneous, and sublingual food immunotherapies have different safety and efficacy profiles, and their long-term outcome and applicability are unclear.

Immunologic reconstitution following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation despite lymph node paucity in NF-κB-inducing kinase deficiency.

This case demonstrates successful immune reconstitution following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in NIK deficiency.

Acquired Cold-Induced Urticaria in Pediatric Patients: A 22-Year Experience in a Tertiary Care Center (1996-2017).

Background: Acquired cold-induced urticaria (ACU) has not been well evaluated in pediatrics.

Objective: To further evaluate the presentation of ACU in children and associated risk of anaphylaxis.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed in children 18 years or younger diagnosed with ACU at Boston Children's Hospital (US, Northeast) from 1996 to 2017.

Long-Term Outcome of Peanut Oral Immunotherapy Facilitated Initially by Omalizumab.

Background: We successfully used omalizumab to facilitate peanut oral immunotherapy (OIT) in children with reactivity to ≤50mg peanut protein and with high peanut IgE (median, 229 kU/L).

Objective: We report on long-term OIT outcomes in these patients, including dosing changes, adverse events, peanut immunoglobulin changes, and quality of life (QoL).

Methods: Patients were followed for up to 72 months (67 months of maintenance).

A twenty-two-year experience with Hymenoptera venom immunotherapy in a US pediatric tertiary care center 1996-2018.

Background: The rate of systemic reactions (SRs) to venom immunotherapy (VIT) in children has not been well evaluated.

Objective: To evaluate the rate of SRs to VIT in pediatric patients age 5 to 18 years who were treated with a standard protocol.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify patients who received VIT at Boston Children's Hospital from 1996 through 2018.

Systemic Reactions in Pediatric Patients Receiving Standardized Allergen Subcutaneous Immunotherapy with and without Seasonal Dose Adjustment.

Background: The 2003 Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters recommended standardizing allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). Data from longitudinal surveillance survey in North America reported a systemic reaction (SR) rate of 0.1% to 0.