Active tolerance development in allergy to cow-based milk proteins

Abstract

Food allergy is a potentially life-threatening condition without approved pathogenetic treatments other than eliminating the causal allergen and relief of acute allergic conditions. Immunoglobulin G-mediated form of food allergy remains a serious and growing problem worldwide. Its prevalence is steadily increasing and is a severe psychosocial and economic burden for patients and their families. Cow-based milk and products are important components of a childs diet, which are introduced at their first year of life, which can cause allergic reactions. The traditional management of children with cow-based milk allergy includes eliminating the dairy-free diet, and a significant number of patients form milk protein tolerance by the age of 5 years. However, with persistent forms of allergy to cow-based milk proteins, the need for active tactics of patient management to form tolerance arises. Oral immunotherapy is a promising approach to food allergy treatments based on a gradually increased allergen by analogy with standardized immunotherapy for respiratory allergens until reaching a maintenance dose. Each stage of oral immunotherapy should be considered as a personalized therapy. This review contains an analysis of available studies on the effectiveness of oral immunotherapy in the treatment of cow-based milk protein allergy.