ARTICLE: Correlation of initial food reactions to observed reactions on challenges

Three articles:



This article appeared in the June/July 2004 issue of Food Allergy News

Copyright 2004 The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network

Research Update

Correlation of initial food reactions to observed reactions on challenges

Researchers investigated whether the organ system (i.e., the skin, the respiratory system, or the gastrointestinal tract) involved in an allergic reaction, or the specific food that caused it, could help to predict what future reactions would be like. They reviewed medical records of all children seen (approximately 3,000) in the Allergy Section at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.



All of the children with a convincing history of food allergy and positive skin test results – a total of 1,769 patients – were offered an open challenge to confirm their food allergy. Researchers compared their initial reactions with the reactions that took place during the monitored open food challenge.



While it is more common for patients to have a similar reaction on re-exposure, researchers found that a mild reaction does not necessarily rule out a more severe reaction in later exposures.



Researchers also found that those with milk, egg, and peanut allergies were more likely than those with soy or wheat allergy to experience multiple-organ system reactions on subsequent exposure during the food challenge. Peanut also caused more multiple-organ system and anaphylactic reactions than it had previously.



Scientists also examined the patient records of individuals who underwent multiple food challenges. Researchers compared the foods that caused a reaction to the affected organ system.



They found that patients with allergy to egg were more likely to have reactions involving different organ systems the next time they were exposed to egg. Future reactions that involved more organ systems but were triggered by a food other than egg, were caused by a higher dosage of that food.



Source: Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Vol. 92, No. 2.

A Great Article

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/11/12/milk.allergy/index.html#cnnSTCText