title: Peanut allergy and allergic airways inflammation.
abstract: Asthma is a major risk cofactor for anaphylactic deaths in children with peanut allergy. Peanut allergy is generally thought to be a lifelong condition, but some children outgrow their coexistent asthma. It has recently been shown that children who have 'outgrown' their asthma symptoms may have ongoing eosinophilic airways inflammation. The need for regular inhaled corticosteroid treatment in peanut allergic children and adolescents who have outgrown their asthma is however unclear. The aims of our study were to look at fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels (FeNO), as a non-invasive marker of eosinophilic airways inflammation, in peanut allergic children and assess whether children with outgrown asthma had elevated levels. Children with peanut allergy were recruited at two pediatric allergy clinics in Belfast, UK. Exhaled nitric oxide levels (FeNO) were measured using the Niox Mino in all children. Of the 101 peanut allergic children who consented for enrollment in the study, 94 were successfully able to use the NIOX Mino. Age range was 4-15 yr (median 10 yr); 61% were boys. Thirty (32%) had never wheezed, 37 (39%) had current treated asthma, 20 (21%) had at least 1 wheezing episode within the last year but were not taking any regular asthma medication (wheeze no treatment), and 7 (7%) had outgrown asthma. All children with outgrown asthma had elevated levels of FeNO (> 35 ppb), and 75% of children defined as 'wheeze no treatment' had elevated FeNO levels (> 35 ppb). Outgrown asthma and children defined as 'wheeze no treatment' had higher levels of FeNO than those with no history of wheeze or current treated asthma (p = 0.003). In children with peanut allergy, we found that those who had outgrown asthma had elevated FeNO levels in keeping with ongoing eosinophilic airways inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, Clinical Institute, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: J David
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Edgar
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Shields
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000707:Anaphylaxis; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D021183:Peanut Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide