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If you or anyone you know suffers from a peanut allergy there might just be some good news on the way for you.
Researchers from Murdoch Childrens Research Institute have successfully trialled a treatment for peanut allergies that could provide a long term cure for sufferers. The study was conducted over 18 months and over 60 peanut allergic children were either given a dose of a probiotic together with a peanut protein or a placebo. Then the children were monitored to see if they would become tolerant to peanuts.
The probiotic was administered in a fixed daily dose, while the peanut protein started at a very low dose followed by an increase every two weeks until two grams of peanut protein was reached. At the end of the treatment, the child's ability to tolerate peanut was assessed by a peanut challenge performed two to five weeks after stopping treatment.
“Astoundingly, researchers found over 80 per cent of children who received the oral immunotherapy treatment were able to tolerate peanut at the end of the trial, compared to less than 4 per cent of the placebo group. This is 20 times higher than the natural rate of resolution for peanut allergy,” said lead researcher Professor Mimi Tang. “23 of 28 (82.1 per cent) probiotic treated children and one of 28 (3.6 per cent) placebo-treated children were able to include peanut in their diet at the end of the trial. The likelihood of success was high - if nine children were given probiotic and peanut therapy, seven would benefit.”
The results are extremely exciting for researchers as they could provide potential treatment for those suffering from the food allergy. More research will need to be conducted to ensure that patients can still tolerate peanuts years after the study has finished.
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