Are There Hidden Dangers Associated With Milk and Egg Dietary Advancement Therapy?

Abstract

Dietary advancement therapies (DAT) constitute a continuum spanning extensively heated item ingestion, progressive milk/egg ladders, and oral immunotherapy (OIT). These represent an evolution in food allergy management from strict avoidance to an active therapy that may modulate the immune system to develop tolerance to particular forms of the allergen. Many egg or milk individuals are tolerant to baked egg/milk at baseline, and regular consumption (at home ingestion) of baked milk or egg is a safe process with potential quality of life and immunologic benefit. Milk and egg ladders, developed for non-IgE mediated allergy, are being increasingly adapted to IgE-mediated allergy as a potentially safe at-home option for gradual dietary advancement. However, data are limited regarding how safe and effective these approaches are, or what patient is best suited for which DAT. It is also unclear if extensively heated allergen consumption and ladders are susceptible to the same patient-specific factors which affect day-to-day tolerance and safety in OIT. Several recent events involving near-fatal or fatal reactions to milk or egg products (all amongst patients with asthma) have highlighted that DATs are not risk-free, and that physician guidance in these therapies is essential. Such guidance may include obtaining informed consent prior to starting any DAT, and instituting the same safe dosing rules for OIT across any form of DAT. This rostrum discusses practical concerns about the safety of DAT, and considerations how clinicians can maximize patient protection while defining the safety and efficacy of real-world implementation of these concepts.