Peanut allergy patch for toddlers shows promise, study finds
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The patch, called Viaskin, is designed to help children between ages 1 and 3 develop at least some tolerance for peanuts. It could "fill a huge unmet need," one expert says.
An experimental skin patch to help treat toddlers who are highly allergic to peanuts is showing promise, according to a new study.
About 2% of U.S. children are allergic to peanuts, some so severely that even a tiny amount can cause a life-threatening reaction. Their immune system overreacts to peanut-containing foods, triggering an inflammatory cascade that causes symptoms like hives, wheezing or worse, anaphylaxis, an extreme reaction that disrupts breathing and causes a sudden drop in blood pressure, which can in some cases even be fatal.
In the new study, 362 toddlers with peanut allergy were tested to determine their peanut protein tolerance and then were randomly assigned to use either the Viaskin patch or a placebo patch.
The Viaskin patch, worn daily between the shoulder blades, is coated with a small amount of peanut protein that absorbs into the skin.
After a year of treatment, the toddlers were tested again. About two-thirds of those who used the real patch could safely ingest the equivalent of three to four peanuts, researchers concluded. About one-third of those given the placebo patches also showed improvement, likely due to some children outgrowing the allergy, Greenhawt said.
Four Viaskin patch recipients experienced an allergic reaction that was deemed related to the patch, but the most common side effect included skin irritation at the patch site.
Over the past 20 years, the study authors note, the prevalence of peanut allergies among children in the U.S., Canada and Europe has significantly increased. Other research has led medical experts to recommend parents could reduce the risk by introducing small amounts of peanut products into a baby's diet at an early age.
The latest study results, Togias wrote, "are very good news for toddlers and their families as the next step toward a future with more treatments for food allergies."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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