Journal Article

Efficacy and safety of low-dose sesame oral immunotherapy in paediatric patients: a protocol for a single-centre, randomised controlled trial

Krupa-Łaska, Anna, Łyżwa, Klementyna, Kulus, Marek, Zagórska, Wioletta, Lewandowski, Zbigniew, Zielinska, Joanna, Grzela, Katarzyna

2024

Overview

IntroductionSesame allergy, though with low prevalence, can result in severe, potentially life-threatening reactions and poses challenges in allergen avoidance due to hidden sources. In the majority of patients, sesame allergy persists and there is currently no effective long-term treatment available. Therefore, oral immunotherapy (OIT) is a promising alternative approach to managing sesame allergy. In this study protocol, we present a randomised controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of OIT with low-dose sesame protein in paediatric patients. The study’s aim is to compare OIT with a 300 mg maintenance dose of sesame protein against controls.Methods and analysis39 participants aged 3–17 with IgE-mediated sesame allergy confirmed by oral food challenge will be enrolled into the study. The trial will be conducted at the Paediatric Hospital of the Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. The study comprises two arms—sesame OIT and control. In the sesame OIT group, interventions will be administered once daily for up to 18 months. During the first phase, the dose will be escalated every 2–4 weeks, and in the second phase, the maintenance dose of 300 mg sesame protein will continue for 3 months. Members of the control group will receive standard treatment, which includes an elimination diet and will remain under observation for 1 year. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants tolerating a single dose of 4000 mg of sesame protein during the final oral food challenge in the experimental group versus the control group. Secondary outcomes assess adverse events, changes in immunological parameters and the maximum tolerated doses of sesame protein in each group.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Medical University of Warsaw (approval number: KB/269/2023). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated via presentations at international conferences.Trial registration number NCT06261554.

• Publisher: British Medical Journal Publishing Group,BMJ Publishing Group LTD,BMJ Publishing Group
• Subject: Administration, Oral / Adolescent / Allergens / Allergens - administration & dosage / Allergens - immunology / Child / Child, Preschool / Desensitization, Immunologic - adverse effects / Desensitization, Immunologic - methods / Drug dosages / Female / Food allergies / Food Hypersensitivity - immunology / Food Hypersensitivity - therapy / food insecurity / Humans / Immunology / Immunotherapy / Male / Medical research / Paediatrics / Patients / Pediatrics / Poland / Proteins / Protocol / randomized controlled trial / Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Sesamum - adverse effects / Sesamum - immunology