Peeling the Peanut: Characterizing Peanut Allergy With the New Food Allergy Severity Score

• Published in: Journal of investigational allergology & clinical immunology Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 125 - 127
• Main Authors: Botelho Alves, P, Pires Pereira, H, Cardoso Lopes, J, Carrapatoso, I, Todo-Bom, A, Regateiro, F S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Spain Esmon Publicidad 12-04-2024
• Subjects: Allergens; Anaphylaxis; Ara h 2 antigen; Comorbidity; Food allergies; Nuts; Public health; Storage proteins; Food allergy; Peanut; Severity; Molecular; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 1018-9068; 1698-0808
• DOI: 10.18176/jiaci.0935

Peanut allergy is a significant global health concern, often leading to severe food reactions and anaphylaxis. Various factors, such as age at onset, comorbidities, and specific IgE levels, have been identified as predictors of peanut allergy severity. Sensitization to molecular peanut allergens, such as seed storage proteins, also increases the risk of anaphylaxis. Sensitization profiles and clinical presentations can vary based on diet and environmental exposure. The new ordinal food allergy severity score (oFASS) is a validated tool that standardizes the assessment of peanut allergy severity. It categorizes reactions based on the involvement of different organs/systems. This study aimed to characterize peanut allergy severity using the oFASS in a Portuguese cohort. The results showed that younger age at onset and concomitant anaphylaxis to tree nuts were associated with higher oFASS scores. Sensitization to specific peanut allergens, such as Ara h 2, was also linked to higher oFASS scores. The oFASS score provides a more detailed and standardized approach to characterizing peanut allergy severity, which can aid in risk stratification and clinical management.