Comparing the risk of anaphylaxis requiring epinephrine in oral immunotherapy and subcutaneous immunotherapy: A review of recent Canadian real-world literature

BACKGROUND: The safety of pediatric food oral immunotherapy (Ped-OIT) has been depicted by some as less favorable than subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) owing to the increased number of serious adverse events requiring epinephrine. A review of real-world data comparing Ped-OIT and SCIT safety is necessary to guide shared decision making. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to compare the safety and adverse event profiles of peanut Ped-OIT and SCIT using Canadian real-word literature. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of recent Canadian real-world literature on peanut Ped-OIT and SCIT safety and adverse events. RESULTS: The incidences of systemic reactions requiring epinephrine were 11 in 270 patients (4.07%) and 12 in 41,020 doses (0.029%) in a multicenter study in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia studying 270 preschool-age children treated with peanut OIT. Similarly, a multicenter study in South-Western Ontario examining 160 patients between the ages of 1 and 17 years who were treated with peanut OIT showed that the incidences of systemic reactions requiring epinephrine were 5 in 160 patients (3.1%) and 8 in 52,751 doses (0.015%). A single-center retrospective review of 380 patients receiving aeroallergen SCIT showed that the incidences of systemic reactions requiring epinephrine were 28 in 380 patients (7.4%) and 1 in 1047 injection visits (0.095%). These findings are comparable to those of a review of 860 patients in Ontario who received either aeroallergen or venom SCIT, in which the incidence of systemic reaction requiring epinephrine was 10 in 4242 injections (0.24%). CONCLUSION: Despite differences in the OIT protocols used and age groups studied, recent real-world data suggest that the safety of preschool peanut OIT or peanut OIT using a slower buildup schedule is comparable to that of SCIT.