Analysis of Oral Food Challenge Outcomes in IgE-Mediated Food Allergies to Almond in a Large Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Although almond specific IgE-mediated food allergies have traditionally been equated with other tree nut allergies, outcomes of oral food challenges to almond and the utility of clinical testing to predict IgE-mediated almond hypersensitivity are not well known. OBJECTIVE: To describe almond oral challenge outcomes and assess the predictive value of clinical testing. METHODS: A total of 603 almond challenges performed for 590 patients, aged 1 to 66 years, were analyzed from Massachusetts General Hospital allergy practices. Reactions were graded using the Niggemann and Beyer allergic reaction grading system and the Sampson 2006 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases anaphylaxis definition. RESULTS: Almond challenges included 545 passes (92%), 15 (3%) indeterminates, and 30 (5%) failures, in contrast with 31% challenge failures for other foods. Most reactions were mild; 21 (4%) had grade 2/3 allergic symptoms, and 3 (0.5%) had anaphylaxis. Median almond specific IgE level was 0.89 kU/L (range, <0.35 to >100 kU/L), median skin prick test wheal diameter was 4.0 mm (range, 0-28 mm), and 475 subjects (81%) were sensitized to almond. Failure was associated with higher almond specific IgE level (P < .001), larger almond skin prick test wheal diameter (P = .001), higher peanut IgE level (P = .003), and a history of almond reaction (P < .029). Almond specific IgE level, almond skin prick test wheal diameter, and age at challenge combined demonstrated good predictive value for grade 2/3 allergic reactions by receiver-operating characteristic analysis (area under the curve, 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of failed almond challenges (5%) was low in contrast with other allergens, suggesting that some almond challenges may be safely conducted with higher patient-to-staff ratios or potentially introduced at home. Although reactions are usually uncommon and mild, anaphylaxis is possible with high almond sensitization.

Longitudinal Perspective on Managing Refractory Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

BACKGROUND: One half to one third of the patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) do not achieve histological remission on initial treatment. We wondered whether these treatment failure patients are a distinct clinical subset. OBJECTIVE: To analyze EoE treatment outcomes in a predominantly pediatric population. METHODS: We reviewed 100 serial EoE cases at Massachusetts General Hospital starting from 2007. We defined histological remission as peak esophageal eosinophil count of less than 10/hpf. RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients with EoE underwent initial treatments: 54 of 81 (67%) responded to dietary therapy, and 9 of 16 (56%) responded to topical glucocorticoids. Of the 34 who failed initial treatment, 24 underwent various second treatment regimens and 54% (13 of 24) responded. Eight of the remaining 11 who failed second treatment underwent additional treatments and 2 ultimately responded. The overall response rate by intent-to-treat analysis increased from 65% (63 of 97) with initial treatment to 78% (76 of 97) with rescue treatment, and further to 80% (78 of 97) with multiple treatments. On a per-protocol basis, the overall response rate was 93% (78 of 84); however, patients who failed the first 2 rounds of therapy had only a 20% response rate. Patients who responded to initial treatment were found to have more symptoms and endoscopic abnormalities. Comparison of patients who failed both initial and rescue therapy with those who responded to rescue therapy did not identify any differentiating clinical features. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the patients who failed initial EoE treatment could still achieve histological remission with individualized rescue treatments. No clinical features could predict response to rescue treatment.

Increased red blood cell transfusions are associated with worsening outcomes in pediatric heart transplant patients.

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are associated with increased morbidity. Children receiving heart transplants constitute a unique group of patients due to their risk factors. Although previous studies in nontransplant patients have focused primarily on the effects of postoperative blood transfusions, a significant exposure to blood occurs during the intraoperative period, and a larger percentage of heart transplant patients require intraoperative blood transfusions when compared with general cardiac surgery patients. We investigated the relationship between clinical outcomes and the amount of blood transfused both during and after heart transplantation. We hypothesized that larger amounts of RBC transfusions are associated with worsening clinical outcomes in pediatric heart transplant patients. METHODS: A database comprising 108 pediatric patients undergoing heart transplantation from 2004 to 2010 was queried. Preoperative and postoperative clinical risk factors, including the amount of blood transfused intraoperatively and 48 hours postoperatively, were analyzed. The outcome measures were length of hospital stay, duration of tracheal intubation, inotrope score, and major adverse events. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to control for simultaneous risk factors and determine outcomes in which the amount of blood transfused was an independent risk factor. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients with complete datasets were included in the final analysis. Eighty-eight percent received RBC transfusions, with a median transfusion amount of 38.7 mL/kg. A multivariate analysis correcting for 8 covariate risk factors, including the Index for Mortality Prediction After Cardiac Transplantation, age, weight, United Network for Organ Sharing status, warm and cold ischemia time, repeat sternotomy, and pretransplant hematocrit, showed RBC transfusions were independently associated with increased length of intensive care unit stay (means ratio = 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.76; P = 0.03), and increased inotrope score in the first postoperative 24 hour (mean ratio = 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.52; P = 0.04). Patients suffering major adverse events received significantly larger median amounts of blood RBC transfusions (P = 0.002). Transfusions >60 mL/kg were also associated with increased risk of major adverse events (accuracy 76%) including postoperative sepsis, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, open chest, dialysis, and graft failure. CONCLUSION: The majority of pediatric patients undergoing orthotropic heart transplantation receive RBC transfusions, with the largest amount transfused in the operating room. Escalating amounts of RBC transfusions are independently associated with increased length of intensive care unit stay, inotrope scores, and major adverse events. Since heart allografts are a limited resource, improvement in the blood transfusion and conservation practices can enhance clinical outcomes in pediatric heart transplant patients.