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Routinely Used and Emerging Diagnostic and Immunotherapeutic Approaches for Wheat Allergy.

Wanqi ZhengChristine Yee Yan WaiJason Ka Chun SitNam Sze ChengChristy Wing Man LeungTing-Fan Leung
Published in: Biomedicines (2024)
Wheat, a component of the staple diet globally, is a common food allergen in children. The symptoms of wheat allergy (WA) range from skin rash to shortness of breath, significantly impairing quality of life. Following initial clinical suspicion, individuals may undergo routinely used allergy tests such as a wheat allergen-specific skin prick test (SPT), a blood test for specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) levels, or oral food challenge. Conventional management of WA lies in wheat avoidance, yet accidental consumption may be inevitable owing to the ubiquity of wheat in various food products. This article aims to provide an overview of the immunologic pathway of WA, followed by its emerging diagnostic methods, namely alcohol-soluble SPT extracts, component-resolved diagnosis, and the basophil activation test (BAT). The mechanisms underlying wheat allergen-specific oral immunotherapy (OIT) as well as a summary of the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of related clinical trials will then be discussed.
Keyphrases
  • clinical trial
  • young adults
  • soft tissue
  • open label
  • physical activity
  • risk assessment
  • weight loss
  • infectious diseases
  • double blind