The purpose of this study is to determine if children who are allergic to milk can increase tolerance through frequent dose-escalation every 6 months versus 12 months leading to eventual tolerance of less heated milk and ultimately unheated milk.
Milk is among the most common food allergens in infants and children. The majority of children outgrow their milk allergies; however, the exact mechanisms by which food tolerance is achieved are unknown. Strict avoidance of the offending food is currently the only known therapy. However, some have been known to tolerate milk products cooked at high heat such as when baked in foods. This clinical trial involves a diet containing extensively baked milk protein to investigate the effects of ingestion of heat-denatured milk on development of oral tolerance to non-baked milk.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
170
At baseline, each subject will undergo sequential oral food challenges with the products that contain increasing amounts of milk protein that are baked: Stage 1 (muffin), Stage 2 (pizza), and Stage 3 (rice pudding) doses of baked milk to determine the extent to which they tolerate various baked milk proteins. Based on the outcomes of the baseline oral food challenges, subjects will be assigned to one of the 5 study arms.
Those subjects tolerant to rice pudding will undergo oral food challenge with non-baked milk.
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York, New York, United States
Number of Participants With a Positive Progression in Tolerance of Baked Milk and Ultimately Unheated Milk in Dose Escalation Sub-arm Compared to Maintenance Sub-arm
Participants were grouped based on the food to which they experienced a reaction at the baseline Oral Food Challenge (OFC). Group 1=reacted to muffin; Group 2=reacted to pizza; Group 3=reacted to rice pudding; Group 4=reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5=did not react. Groups 2, 3, and 4 were randomized to dose escalation or maintenance, and at each visit following randomization, participants performed an OFC where they were given food products containing milk protein denatured through baking. Participants were given progressively less denatured milk protein food items until they had an allergic reaction. Participants were considered to have a positive progression in tolerance of baked milk if they experienced a reaction to a less denatured milk protein food item at any post randomization visits than the one to which they reacted at their baseline visit.
Time frame: Randomization through end of study (up to 36 months)
Number of Participants With a Positive Progression in Tolerating More Allergenic Forms of Milk at 12 and 24 Months
Participants were grouped based on the food they experienced a reaction to at the baseline Oral Food Challenge (OFC). Group 1 = reacted to muffin; Group 2 = reacted to pizza; Group 3 = reacted to rice pudding; Group 4 = reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5 = did not react. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were randomized to dose escalation or maintenance, and at each visit following randomization, performed an OFC where food products containing milk protein denatured through baking were given. Participants were given progressively less denatured milk protein food items until an allergic reaction occurred. A positive progression in tolerance of baked milk was defined as a reaction to a less denatured milk protein food at 12 months than at baseline. Positive progression at 24 months was defined as experiencing a reaction to a less denatured milk protein food at 24 months than at 12 months.
Time frame: 12 months, 24 months
Percent of Participants Becoming Tolerant to Unheated Cow's Milk at 12, 24, and 36 Months
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Participants were grouped based on the food to which they experienced a reaction at the baseline Oral Food Challenge (OFC). Group 1 = reacted to muffin; Group 2 = reacted to pizza; Group 3 = reacted to rice pudding; Group 4 = reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5 = did not react. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were randomized to dose escalation or maintenance, and at each visit following randomization, participants performed an OFC where they were given food products containing milk protein denatured through baking. Participants were given progressively less denatured milk protein food items until they had an allergic reaction. Participants were considered to become tolerant to unheated cow's milk if at the specified visit, they did not react to any of the foods given in the OFC.
Time frame: 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months
Percent of Participants Becoming Tolerant to Unheated Cow's Milk
Participants were grouped based on the food to which they experienced a reaction at the baseline Oral Food Challenge (OFC). Group 1 = reacted to muffin; Group 2 = reacted to pizza; Group 3 = reacted to rice pudding; Group 4 = reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5 = did not react. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were randomized to dose escalation or maintenance, and at each visit following randomization, participants performed an OFC where they were given food products containing milk protein denatured through baking. Participants were given progressively less denatured milk protein food items until they had an allergic reaction. Participants were considered to become tolerant to unheated cow's milk if at any post-randomization visit up through 36 months, they did not react to any of the food given in the OFC.
Time frame: Randomization through end of study (up to 36 months)
Comparison of Baseline Basophil Percent Maximal Degranulation With the Outcome of the Baseline OFC to Identify the Biomarkers of Clinical Reactivity
This endpoint evaluates the correlation between the mechanistic biomarkers of basophil reactivity and the food to which participants reacted at baseline. Participants were grouped according to food at which participants experienced a reaction during their baseline oral food challenge: Group 1 = reacted to muffin; Group 2 = reacted to pizza; Group 3 = reacted to rice pudding; Group 4 = reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5 = did not react. Basophils come from blood drawn at baseline. Basophils counts were done using whole blood specimens. Basophil reactivity as measured as maximal degranulation percentage after stimulation with titrated dilutions of milk powder (from 1x103 to 1x10-1 µg/mL total protein) and was correlated to group assignment using Spearman correlation coefficients.
Time frame: Baseline
Comparison of Baseline IgE With the Outcome of the Baseline OFC to Identify the Biomarkers of Clinical Reactivity
This endpoint evaluates the correlation between the mechanistic biomarker of IgE to milk proteins and allergic reaction at baseline. Participants were grouped according to food at which participants experienced a reaction during their baseline oral food challenge: Group 1 = reacted to muffin; Group 2 = reacted to pizza; Group 3 = reacted to rice pudding; Group 4 = reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5 = did not react. Quantitative IgE to milk proteins was done using FEIA (UniCAP) on serum from blood drawn at baseline.
Time frame: Baseline
Comparison of Baseline Mechanistic Studies [Treg and Basophil] With the Outcome of the Baseline OFC to Identify the Biomarkers of Clinical Reactivity
This endpoint evaluates the correlation between the mechanistic biomarker of the number of basophils and T regulatory cells reactive to milk proteins and the food to which participants reacted at baseline. Participants were grouped according to food at which participants experienced a reaction during their baseline oral food challenge: Group 1 = reacted to muffin; Group 2 = reacted to pizza; Group 3 = reacted to rice pudding; Group 4 = reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5 = did not react. Quantitative IgE to milk proteins was done using FEIA (UniCAP) on serum from blood drawn at baseline.
Time frame: Baseline
Relationship Between Initial Dose of Tolerated Baked-milk Protein and Time to Complete Tolerance
Participants were grouped based on the food to which they experienced a reaction at the baseline Oral Food Challenge (OFC). Group 1 = reacted to muffin; Group 2 = reacted to pizza; Group 3 = reacted to rice pudding; Group 4 = reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5 = did not react. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were randomized to dose escalation or maintenance, and at each visit following randomization, participants performed an OFC where they were given food products containing milk protein denatured through baking. Participants were given progressively less denatured milk protein food items until they had an allergic reaction. Participants were considered to become tolerant to unheated cow's milk if at any post-randomization visit up through 36 months, they did not react to any food, including unheated whole milk.
Time frame: Randomization through end of study (up to 36 months)
Relationship Between Dose of Baked-milk Protein and Reactivity to Casein Versus Whey
Participants were grouped based on the food to which they experienced a reaction at the baseline Oral Food Challenge (OFC). Group 1 = reacted to muffin; Group 2 = reacted to pizza; Group 3 = reacted to rice pudding; Group 4 = reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5 = did not react. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were randomized to dose escalation or maintenance, and at each visit following randomization, participants performed an OFC where they were given food products containing milk protein denatured through baking. Participants were given progressively less denatured milk protein food items until they had an allergic reaction. The relationship between serum IgE to betalactoglobulin and casein, and the food level at which the participant reacted, were evaluated at each post randomization OFC visit. It is expected that those who reacted to muffin would have a higher ratio of casein to betalactoglobulin than those who reacted to less heated forms of milk.
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12, Month 24, Month 36
Comparison of Percent of Participants Tolerant to Non-heated Milk Between the Participants Who Ingested Baked-milk Products and Participants Who Continued to Avoid All Forms of Milk
Participants were grouped based on the food they reacted to, at the baseline Oral Food Challenge (OFC). Group 1= reacted to muffin; Group 2= reacted to pizza; Group 3= reacted to rice pudding; Group 4= reacted to non-baked milk; Group 5= did not react. Groups 2- 4 were randomized to dose escalation or maintenance, and Group 1, and a Control group that chose not to participate in the study, continued to avoid milk. Randomized participants performed an OFC at each visit during which they were given progressively less denatured/ baked milk protein food items until they had an allergic reaction. Participants were considered tolerant to unheated cow's milk if at any post-randomization visit up through 36 months, they did not react to any food, including unheated whole milk. Tolerance of non-heated milk was assessed by report among those who continued to avoid milk.
Time frame: Month 36
Changes in Mechanistic Values [Humoral, T Cell and Basophil]
This outcome measure was not well defined in the protocol and was not analyzed.
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12, Month 24, and Month 36
Changes in Mechanistic Values [Humoral, T Cell and Basophil]
This outcome measure was not well defined in the protocol and was not analyzed.
Time frame: Baseline to the time complete milk tolerance was established