How to predict and improve prognosis of food allergy

Purpose of review The prevalence of food allergy is increasing. More children are being diagnosed with food allergies, and it is taking longer to outgrow them, among those who develop tolerance. The aim of this review is to draw the profile of the persistent food allergic, so that prevention strategies can be developed and active treatment set up. Recent findings Many determinants are involved in food allergy prognosis: ethnicity and sex, type of food, innate immune system, eliciting dose, sensitization status and other biomarkers determination, gut microbiome composition, and the presence of comorbidities. Once identified, a persistent food allergy could be conveyed to active treatments, such as oral immunotherapy or the use of biologics, always taking into account their experimental nature. Summary A better understanding of prognostic factors and phenotypes of food allergy is crucial in decision-making when it comes to food allergy prevention and management. A good classification of the allergic patient allows to determine the degree of exclusion diets and the timing of the reintroduction of avoided food when possible. In the cases of persistent and severe food allergy, many promising interventions are emerging which could improve prognosis and quality of care. Correspondence to Lamia Dahdah, MD, University Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy, Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Piazza di Sant'Onofrio 4, Rome 00100, Vatican City, Italy. Tel: +39 046 6859 4777; fax: +39 046 6859 2020; e-mail: lamiaantanios.dahdah@opbg.net Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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