Oral immunotherapy for the treatment of pumpkin seed allergy: a real-world case series
Abstract
Background: Pumpkin seed, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is increasingly consumed because of its high protein content and perceived health benefits. Along with its growing use, cases of pumpkin seed allergy are being reported. However, data on pumpkin seed allergy and oral immunotherapy (OIT) remain scarce.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review at a tertiary pediatric center (Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montreal, Canada) including all patients who initiated or completed pumpkin seed OIT since 2019. OIT protocols were individualized, with dose increases typically performed every four weeks. Target maintenance doses were at least 300 mg of pumpkin seed protein.
Results: Eleven patients (median age at OIT initiation: 6.5 years; range 1-12) underwent pumpkin seed OIT. Ten patients (91%) reached maintenance dosing within a median of 9.5 months (range 6-22) while one patient discontinued OIT due to persistent abdominal pain. No anaphylactic reactions occurred at home during treatment. Two anaphylactic reactions requiring epinephrine occurred during in-clinic up-dosing visits in a single patient, despite this, the patient ultimately achieved maintenance. Gastrointestinal and oral symptoms were the most frequent adverse events and were generally managed with temporary premedication. Most patients (91%) underwent concomitant multi-food OIT. Patients with significant adverse reactions had high ratios of pumpkin-specific IgE to total IgE.
Conclusion:…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case series, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
Read the paper
Related studies
- eggNOG 5.0: a hierarchical, functionally and phylogenetically annotated orthology resource based on 5090 organisms and 2502 viruses
- Online Survival Analysis Software to Assess the Prognostic Value of Biomarkers Using Transcriptomic Data in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
- OptiType: precision HLA typing from next-generation sequencing data
- Nicotinic Cholinergic System and COVID-19: In Silico Identification of an Interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and Nicotinic Receptors with Potential Therapeutic Targeting Implications
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells have three Omega class glutathione S-transferases acting as 1-Cys thiol transferases
- Hemolysis at low blood flow rates: in-vitro and in-silico evaluation of a centrifugal blood pump
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.