Atopic dermatitis and food hypersensitivity reactions

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics Vol. 132; no. 1; pp. 132 - 136
• Main Authors: Burks, A.Wesley, James, John M., Hiegel, Anne, Wilson, Gail, Wheeler, J.Gary, Jones, Stacie M., Zuerlein, Nancy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Allergens - immunology; Allergic diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Dermatitis, Atopic - etiology; Digestive allergic diseases; Double-Blind Method; Food; Food Hypersensitivity - diagnosis; Food Hypersensitivity - physiopathology; Humans; Immunopathology; Infant; Medical sciences; Skin Tests; DBPCFC; AD; Human; Immunopathology; Allergy; Skin disease; Prevalence; Food intolerance; Atopy; Association; Atopic dermatitis; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Diagnosis; Child; Skin test
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3476(98)70498-6

Objective: To determine the role of food hypersensitivity in atopic dermatitis and to determine whether patients with atopic dermatitis who had food hypersensitivity could be identified by screening prick skin tests using a limited number of food allergens. Study design: Patients with atopic dermatitis attending the Arkansas Children's Hospital Pediatric Allergy Clinic underwent allergy prick skin testing to a battery of food antigens. Patients with positive prick skin tests underwent double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges. Results: One-hundred sixty-five patients were enrolled and completed the study. Patients ranged in age from 4 months to 21.9 years (mean 48.9 months). Ninety-eight (60%) patients had at least one positive prick skin test. A total of 266 double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges were performed. Sixty-four patients (38.7% of total) were interpreted as having a positive challenge. Seven foods (milk, egg, peanut, soy, wheat, cod/catfish, cashew) accounted for 89% of the positive challenges. By use of screening prick skin tests for these seven foods we could identify 99% of the food allergic patients correctly. Conclusions: This study confirms that most children with atopic dermatitis have food allergy that can be diagnosed by a prick skin test for the seven foods. (J Pediatr 1998;132:132-6)