Oral birch pollen immunotherapy with apples: Results of a phase II clinical pilot study

A 70% of patients suffering from birch pollen allergy (BPA) develop a pollen ‐related food allergy (prFA), especially to apples. This is due to a strong clinically relevant homology between the major allergen in birch Bet v 1 and Mal d 1 in apples. Therefore a pilot trial using fresh apples for allergen‐specific immunotherapy to birch pollen was performed. After 8 months of therapy, patients showed increased tolerance to apples and other birch pollen‐related food allergens. Moreover, daily rhinoconjunctivitis combined symptom and medication score (CSMS) declined by 34% (p <  .001), as did conjunctival reactivity to birch pollen extract by 27% (p <  .01), while specific IgG4 to Mal d 1 and Bet v 1 increased (p <  .01). In this small pilot trial daily apple consumption improved both birch pollen and related food allergies. If confirmed by a larger controlled trial apples could provide a natural, healthy and cost‐saving causal treatment for BPA. AbstractBackgroundSeventy percent of patients suffering from birch pollen allergy (BPA) develop a pollen ‐related food allergy (prFA), especially to apples, due to a clinically relevant cross‐reactivity between the major allergen in birch Bet v 1 and Mal d 1 in apples. Therefore allergen‐specific immunotherapy with fresh apples (AITA) could be a promising natural treatment of both BPA and prFA.ObjectiveTo assess the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy by daily apple consumption for patients with BPA and ...
Source: Immunity, Inflammation and Disease - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL RESEARCH Source Type: research