Document Detail


Food hypersensitivity among Finnish university students: association with atopic diseases.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  12752588     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Food hypersensitivity (FH) is commonly suspected, especially among adults with atopic diseases. Symptoms of FH vary from oral allergy syndrome (OAS) to gastrointestinal, respiratory and systemic reactions. More data are needed regarding patient groups at risk for FH, and symptoms and foods responsible for the reactions. METHODS: FH was studied in 286 Finnish university students. Four study groups were selected: subjects (i) with current atopic dermatitis (AD) with or without allergic rhinoconjunctivits (ARC) or asthma (n = 41); (ii) with past AD with or without ARC or asthma (n = 89); (iii) with ARC or asthma (n = 69); (iv) without clinically confirmed atopic disease (n = 87). A thorough clinical examination was performed with a questionnaire specifying adverse events to foods. In addition, IgE specific to five foods, and skin prick tests to four foods were determined. RESULTS: FH was reported by 172 subjects (60.1%), more often by females (66.3%) than by males (47.9%) (P = 0.003). FH was most frequent among subjects with AD, among those with current AD in 73.2%, with past AD in 66.3%, and with ARC or asthma in 63.8%; 44.8% of subjects without any atopic disease reported FH. Kiwi fruit caused symptoms most frequently (38.4%), followed by milk (32.6%), apple (29.1%), tomato (27.9%), citrus fruits (25.0%), tree nuts (23.3%), and peanut (17.4%). A total of 720 separate symptoms to 25 food items were reported. OAS was most common (51.2%), followed by gastrointestinal symptoms (23.5%), worsening of AD (11.4%), urticaria (4.2%), rhinitis or conjunctivitis (5.7%) and asthma (4.0%). Severe reactions occurred in 3.5% (25/720). Negative IgE and skin prick test to foods predicted well negative history, but the value of positive test results was limited. CONCLUSIONS: FH was reported most often by students with current AD and multiple atopic diseases. Severe reactions occurred especially in patients with ARC and asthma. After excluding lactose intolerance, milk hypersensitivity was frequently reported.
Authors:
L Mattila; M Kilpeläinen; E O Terho; M Koskenvuo; H Helenius; K Kalimo
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology     Volume:  33     ISSN:  0954-7894     ISO Abbreviation:  Clin. Exp. Allergy     Publication Date:  2003 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2003-05-19     Completed Date:  2003-09-04     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8906443     Medline TA:  Clin Exp Allergy     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  600-6     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
The Finnish Student Health Service, Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Clinical Allergology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. leena.mattila@yths.fi
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Asthma / complications
Conjunctivitis / complications
Dermatitis, Atopic / complications
Female
Food Hypersensitivity / complications*
Fruit / adverse effects
Humans
Hypersensitivity, Immediate / complications
Immunoglobulin E / biosynthesis
Male
Milk Hypersensitivity / complications
Rhinitis / complications
Risk Factors
Sex Factors
Skin Tests
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
37341-29-0/Immunoglobulin E

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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