Epidemiology of Pecan Nut Allergy (PEC-ALL)

Retrospective Study on Pecan Nut Allergy Epidemiology

IgE-mediated food allergy can manifest with reactions ranging from hives to anaphylactic shock. The diagnosis is based on the confirmation of sensitization to the food allergen by skin tests (prick) and the determination of specific IgE directed against the food source and molecular allergens. The gold standard remains the oral provocation test, which is performed in a hospital environment. Once the diagnosis is made, an elimination diet is still considered as the cornerstone of treatment for most food allergies.

While some allergies, such as cow's milk or egg, tend to resolve spontaneously, others, such as allergy to pecan nuts, show a tendency to be persistent. In addition, pecan allergy is often characterized by potentially serious clinical reactions, compared to other foods, which can even be life threatening. In our clinical practice, the investigators found that patients with allergies to pecan nuts often present with severe hypersensitivity reactions when challenged orally to this food. Beyond this information, there are few studies regarding pecans. The investigators decided to retrospectively evaluate the results of oral food challenge and of the allergy work-up in our patients sensitized and allergic to pecan nuts, to better understand the current epidemiology of such food allergy.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Allergic Reaction

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 50

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Audrey GOPAL, MD; Phone Number: 467336107; Email: gopal@chu-montpellier.fr

Study Locations

• France
  • Montpellier, France, 34295
    • Recruiting
    • Uhmontpellier

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 5 years to 70 years (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT, CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients consulting in the Allergy Unit of the Arnaud de Villeneuve Hospital, sensitized to pecan nut, and having undergone an oral food challenge to this food allergen

Description

Inclusion criteria:

• Patients assessed for pecan allergy, through oral food challenge, from January 2000 to december 2021, at the University Hospital of Montpellier
• Patients with a positive skin prick test and/or positive specific IgE to pecan nut

Exclusion criteria:

• Patients not affiliated to French Social Security
• Patients not capable of understanding French
• Patients sensitized to pecan nut, who did not perform an oral food challenge to this food allergen

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Prevalence of challenge-proven pecan allergy	Prevalence of challenge-proven pecan allergy in sensitized patients	day 1

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Epidemiological characteristics of pecan allergic patient	Epidemiological characteristics of pecan allergic patient(cypress pollen-induced allergic rhinitis or food allergy to peach)	day 1
cut-off of specific IgE	cut-off of specific IgE and of results of prick test to predict pecan allergy in sensitized and allergic patients	day 1

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital, Montpellier

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): November 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED): January 1, 2022
• Study Completion (ANTICIPATED): April 1, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 22, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 22, 2021
• First Posted (ACTUAL): January 11, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): January 11, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 22, 2021
• Last Verified: December 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Anaphylaxis; Oral food challenge; Sensitization to pecan nut (specific IgE and/or skin prick tests); Challenge proven pecan allergy; Allergic Comorbidities
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Immune System Diseases; Food Hypersensitivity; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Nut and Peanut Hypersensitivity; Hypersensitivity; Nut Hypersensitivity
• Other Study ID Numbers: RECHMPL21_0726

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED
• IPD Plan Description: NC

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No