Peanut Allergy: New Advances and Ongoing Controversies.

Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies in children, with increasing prevalence over time. The dual-allergen exposure hypothesis now supports transcutaneous sensitization to peanut as a likely pathophysiologic mechanism for peanut allergy development. As a result, there is emerging evidence that early peanut introduction has a role in peanut allergy prevention. Current first-line diagnostic tests for peanut allergy have limited specificity, which may be enhanced with emerging tools such as component-resolved diagnostics. Although management of peanut allergy includes avoidance and carrying an epinephrine autoinjector, risk of fatal anaphylaxis is extremely low, and there is minimal risk related to cutaneous or inhalational exposure. Quality of life in children with peanut allergy requires significant focus. Moving forward, oral and epicutaneous immunotherapy are emerging and exciting tools that may have a role to play in desensitization to peanut.
Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Dr Abrams is a member of the scientific advisory board for Food Allergy Canada. Dr Chan has received research support from DBV Technologies; has been a member of advisory boards for Pfizer, Pediapharm, Leo Pharma, and Kaleo; is a member of the scientific advisory board for Food Allergy Canada; and was an expert panel and coordinating committee member of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases–sponsored guidelines for peanut allergy prevention. Dr Sicherer reports royalty payments from UpToDate and from Johns Hopkins University Press; grants to his institution from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, from Food Allergy Research and Education, and from HAL Allergy; and personal fees from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology outside of the submitted work. He was an expert panel and coordinating committee member of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases–sponsored guidelines for peanut allergy prevention.
(Copyright © 2020 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)