Background: Peanut allergens are common triggers of food allergy. Analyses of sensitization patterns, relationships with other allergens, clinical symptoms, and variation with age are needed. We studied sensitization to Ara h 2, Ara h 9, and Pru p 3 in a peanut allergic children/adolescents and the relationship with peach and pollen.
Methods: Peanut allergic patients aged between 1 and 20 years old were classified into two groups: A) allergic to peanut only and B) allergic to peach and peanut. The IgE response was measured to Ara h 2, Ara h 9, and Pru p 3.
Results: Of 964 subjects evaluated, 28% were allergic to peanut. From this group, 68% were also sensitized to pollen. Urticaria was the most frequent entity followed by anaphylaxis and OAS. Fifty-eight percent had Ara h 2- and/or Ara h 9-specific IgE. More than half reported symptoms with peanut alone (Group A) and 35% to peanut and peach (Group B). We observed significant differences in sex, age, onset of symptoms, and sensitization to Artemisia between groups. IgE response to Ara h 2 was more frequent in Group A, and Ara h 9 and Pru p 3 in Group B. We observed a decrease in sensitization to Ara h 2 and an increase to Ara h 9 and Pru p 3 with increasing age.
Conclusion: Peanut allergy is frequent in subjects with allergy to plant foods, with Ara h 2 and Ara h 9 being two important allergens. In younger patients, Ara h 2 predominates over Ara h 9. The reverse was observed in older patients.
Keywords: allergens; food allergy; lipid transfer proteins; peach; peanut; seed storage proteins; sensitization.
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.