Canadian Peanut Thresholds Study

An important gap in the management of peanut allergy is that we do not know the threshold dose, below which most peanut allergic individuals will not react. There is likely a spectrum of reactivity to peanut where some individuals react to trace doses, whereas others are able to tolerate larger doses. The purpose of this study is to determine the minimum threshold dose needed to cause a mild objective reaction when peanuts are consumed by peanut-allergic individuals in a carefully controlled clinical setting. 30 peanut-allergic participants aged 7-65 years will undergo a two-day, double blind placebo controlled food challenge. Participants will be gradually fed increasing amounts of peanut, or placebo, until objective allergic symptoms are observed. Statistical modelling of individual threshold doses will be used to determine a population threshold dose, or a level of peanut to which 90% of the peanut-allergic population will not react. Knowledge of threshold doses at an individual and population level is valuable in that it provides critical information for the management of peanut allergy by individuals, their caregivers and health professionals, as well as knowledge of allergen risks to public health agencies and the food industry.