[Incidence of asthma caused by food allergy in childhood]

Pediatr Med Chir. 1987 Jul-Aug;9(4):399-404.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

Both upper and lower respiratory tracts can be affected by food allergy. In infants these symptoms may be due exclusively to food allergy or may result from the effect of food allergy and another co-factor (gastro-esophageal reflux, immunodeficiency, concomitant allergy to inhalants, etc.). The incidence of food-induced asthma is not well know. In this study, using open and double blind food challenge, we found that the incidence of IgE-mediated, food-induced asthma in children is 5.7%. The most offending foods were milk, eggs, and peanuts. Food allergy respiratory symptoms were almost always associated with other clinical manifestations (cutaneous, gastrointestinal). In fact we have been able to demonstrate only one isolated case of cough due to food allergy. It follows that the recognition of food dependent-IgE-mediated asthma is essentially limited to these cases characterized by food allergy with asthmatic expression.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Asthma / diagnosis
  • Asthma / epidemiology*
  • Asthma / etiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Food Hypersensitivity / complications*
  • Humans
  • Skin Tests