Benefits of Immunotherapy-Probiotic Combo for Peanut Allergy Sustained at 4 Years

By Amy Orciari Herman

Edited by Richard Saitz, MD, MPH, FACP, DFASAM

Use of peanut immunotherapy combined with a probiotic is associated with long-lasting peanut tolerance in allergic children, according to a follow-up study in the Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.

Of 56 children with peanut allergy who were randomized to receive either combined probiotic (Lactobacillus rhamnosus) and peanut oral immunotherapy or placebo daily for 18 months, 90% and 7% were desensitized to peanuts following treatment, respectively. Forty-eight children were available for follow-up 4 years after treatment ended.

At follow-up, children who had been randomized to combination therapy were significantly more likely than placebo recipients to continue eating peanuts (67% vs. 4%). In particular, over half the combination therapy group was regularly consuming moderate-to-large amounts of peanuts.

Allergic reactions to peanuts occurred in 17% of the combo therapy group and 25% of the placebo group; none were anaphylaxis.