This double-blind RCT evaluated inhaled salbutamol (800 µg) vs. placebo for moderate-to-severe abdominal pain during oral food challenges or oral immunotherapy in patients aged 6–55 years with IgE-mediated food allergy, tracking pain relief over 30 minutes.
Median time to patient-perceived adequate analgesia was 6.0 min with salbutamol vs. not reached by 30 min with placebo (HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.12–0.99, p=0.034); complete pain resolution was 10.0 min vs. not reached (HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12–0.92, p=0.027).
- Trial terminated early (n=24 of planned enrollment) due to slower-than-expected recruitment, leaving the study underpowered. - Single-center design limits generalizability. - Confidence intervals are wide, reflecting substantial uncertainty around effect size.
Inhaled salbutamol may offer rapid relief of IgE-mediated food allergy abdominal pain in clinic settings (e.g., during OFC or OIT), but the small sample and early termination mean results should be considered preliminary until confirmed in larger trials.
