Milk oral immunotherapy is effective in school-aged children.
OBJECTIVE
To study the efficacy of oral immunotherapy (OIT) in schoolchildren with cow's milk (CM) allergy (CMA).


METHODS
Twenty-eight children aged 6-14 years with CMA documented by oral challenge were enrolled into a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled OIT study. In the active treatment, CM protein amount was increased during 23 weeks from 0.06 mg to a maximum of 6400 mg (200 mL of milk).


RESULTS
Twenty-four (86%) patients completed the protocol: 16/18 in active and 8/10 in placebo groups. All children in the active and 2/3 in the placebo group suffered from symptoms considered by the parents as induced by milk. The children were contacted by phone 12 months later, and 13 (81%) used daily CM or milk products corresponding 6400 mg of CM protein. After double-blind OIT, all 10 children in the placebo group completed successfully an open-label OIT by an identical protocol, and all used daily CM or milk products 6 months later. Three to 3.5 years later, one child more had discontinued daily milk use. Thus, the long-term success rate was 22/28 (79%).


CONCLUSIONS
This placebo-controlled, double-blind study confirmed that OIT was effective in desensitizing schoolchildren with CMA. With occasional exceptions, the reached desensitization sustained for more than 3 years.
Pediatric Research Centre, Tampere University and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
Susanna
S
Salmivesi
Matti
M
Korppi
Mika J
MJ
Mäkelä
Marita
M
Paassilta
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000628:therapy*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008894:Milk Proteins