Latest news with #immunoglobulinE
Hindustan Times
01-08-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Can you overcome an allergy?
ALLERGIES Are on the rise. Every year more people clog up in springtime or succumb to itchy eyes in the presence of pets. In America the share of children with food allergies rose from 3.4% in 1997 to 5.8% in 2021, and there were similar increases elsewhere. But treatments allowing people to manage their allergies—even the most dangerous ones—are becoming increasingly effective, accessible and safe. Allergies arise when the immune system gets confused. Normally tasked with protecting the body from pathogens, in people with allergies it also reacts to harmless irritants, or allergens. In overactive immune systems, proteins responsible for recognising dangerous invading parasites, known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, start to become sensitive to allergens, too. This can cause them to raise the alarm each time they come into contact with the allergen, which prompts the body to produce a signalling chemical known as histamine. When the body is under threat from a parasite, histamine can help expel it by producing mucus and provoking coughing. But for people with allergies, the response can go overboard, causing allergic symptoms such as wheezing and hives. In the worst case, histamine can provoke a whole-body reaction known as anaphylactic shock, which can block the airways and cause suffocation. Desensitisation is possible. A family of treatments known as immunotherapies work by repeatedly exposing the body to tiny and gradually increasing amounts of allergen. For common allergens, such as pollen and dust mites, immunotherapy—in the form of drops, shots or tablets—is now common, and highly effective for most people. Progress has been slower for food allergies, in part because they carry a higher risk of anaphylaxis. The outlook has started to brighten. In 2020 America's Food and Drug Administration approved the first oral immunotherapy for children with peanut allergy, a powder containing peanut protein. Children who take the powder with food react less, but the increased dosage must be given under medical supervision to avoid reactions and children should still follow a strict peanut-free diet. Options that could allow patients to increase their tolerance more safely are on their way. Companies are developing immunotherapies based on small fragments of allergen proteins called peptides. These seem to increase tolerance to the allergens without setting off harmful immune reactions. Another avenue is blocking IgE antibodies. In a trial in 2024, 79 of 118 people with allergies to several foods were able to ingest 600mg of their allergens after taking a monoclonal antibody called omalizumab for 16 to 20 weeks, compared with only five of the 59 participants in the control group. As patients must keep taking omalizumab to feel its effects, some researchers hope to prescribe it to patients while building their tolerance through regular or peptide immunotherapy. The burst of innovation is particularly good news for allergic adults. Because the immune system becomes less flexible with age, adults are harder to treat than children and are often excluded from immunotherapy trials. This, too, is changing. The omalizumab trial from 2024 included a small number of adults, and in April an adult-only trial showed that standard oral immunotherapy, done carefully over months, could build patients up to a dose of four daily peanuts. Curious about the world? To enjoy our mind-expanding science coverage, sign up to Simply Science, our weekly subscriber-only newsletter.
Associated Press
04-06-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Severe Allergic Reactions post Vaccination Discussed in Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons
TUCSON, Ariz., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Severe allergic reactions involving a cytokine storm can follow vaccination for respiratory viruses such as influenza or COVID-19, writes Irene Mavrakakis, M.D., in the summer issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. A possible treatment is cromolyn sodium, which prevents the release of histamine and other inflammatory mediators from immune cells called mast cells. It is often used in asthma. Dr. Mavrakakis presents a case history of a patient with latex allergy who experienced a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination. For years after this, she experienced frequent episodes of life-threatening anaphylaxis. Eventually these were eliminated by a strict diet, latex avoidance, and medications including cromolyn sodium. This type of reaction involves a type of serum antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE), Dr. Mavrakakis explains. Repeated exposures to triggering allergens can lead to increased IgE responses and very severe reactions. Specific studies have demonstrated the production of IgE anti-influenza virus antibodies in the vaccinated. This raises the possibility that repeated exposure from annual vaccination could intensify allergic responses and immune reactivity, she suggests, also pointing out the paucity of evidence for the benefit of repeated shots. Implementing comprehensive immune profiling, including markers such as histamine, IgE, tryptase, and eosinophils, could help identify patients predisposed to severe inflammatory reactions, she states. She also recommends: (1) study of longitudinal changes in IgE and other immune markers in vaccinated populations; (2) evaluation of the potential for cross-reactivity between influenza and coronavirus antigens, possibly exacerbating immune responses; and (3) clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of allergy treatments, including cromolyn sodium and other mast-cell stabilizers, for managing cytokine storms related to respiratory virus vaccinations. The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons is published by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), a national organization representing physicians in all specialties since 1943. Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected]
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Severe Allergic Reactions post Vaccination Discussed in Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons
TUCSON, Ariz., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Severe allergic reactions involving a cytokine storm can follow vaccination for respiratory viruses such as influenza or COVID-19, writes Irene Mavrakakis, M.D., in the summer issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. A possible treatment is cromolyn sodium, which prevents the release of histamine and other inflammatory mediators from immune cells called mast cells. It is often used in asthma. Dr. Mavrakakis presents a case history of a patient with latex allergy who experienced a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination. For years after this, she experienced frequent episodes of life-threatening anaphylaxis. Eventually these were eliminated by a strict diet, latex avoidance, and medications including cromolyn sodium. This type of reaction involves a type of serum antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE), Dr. Mavrakakis explains. Repeated exposures to triggering allergens can lead to increased IgE responses and very severe reactions. Specific studies have demonstrated the production of IgE anti-influenza virus antibodies in the vaccinated. This raises the possibility that repeated exposure from annual vaccination could intensify allergic responses and immune reactivity, she suggests, also pointing out the paucity of evidence for the benefit of repeated shots. Implementing comprehensive immune profiling, including markers such as histamine, IgE, tryptase, and eosinophils, could help identify patients predisposed to severe inflammatory reactions, she states. She also recommends: (1) study of longitudinal changes in IgE and other immune markers in vaccinated populations; (2) evaluation of the potential for cross-reactivity between influenza and coronavirus antigens, possibly exacerbating immune responses; and (3) clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of allergy treatments, including cromolyn sodium and other mast-cell stabilizers, for managing cytokine storms related to respiratory virus vaccinations. The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons is published by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), a national organization representing physicians in all specialties since 1943. Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, janeorientmd@ in to access your portfolio
