434 Frequency of Food-sensitization by Prick-to-Prick Test and Atopy Patch Test in Allergic Children

Abstract

Background

Food-allergy is a substantial and evolving health issue. We evaluate the frequency of food sensitization by prick-to-prick and atopy patch test (APT) in allergic children in a tertiary pediatric care center.

Methods

Cross-sectional retrospective study of prick-to-prick and APT tests made in atopic children attending to the Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology outpatient clinic aged 6 months to 19 years. Patients were stratified in 4 groups according to age (<1, 1–5, 6–10 and >11 years), and by atopy-related diagnosis (asthma, rhinitis, food allergy, atopic dermatitis and eosinophilic gastroenteropathy).

Results

Total of 170 prick-to-prick with fresh foods were made, 135 were positive with the next distribution: milk 28.8%, (95% CI, 21.3-36.3%), egg white 20.1% (95% CI, 13.5-26.8%), banana 19.4% (95% CI, 12.8-26%). Sensitization to milk was most common in children aged 1 to 5 years old with 26.9% (95% CI, 17.1-36.8%) compared with corn, nuts and peanuts P < 0.05. Sensitization to milk was the most frequent in the food allergy diagnosis group with 27.1% (95% CI,15.8-38.5%) compared with wheat, corn and peanuts P < 0.05.

A total of 140 APT tests were made, 105 were positive with the next distribution: soybeans 53.3% (95% CI,43.8-62.8%), peanut and chocolate both with 50.5% (95% CI,40.9-60,.0). This finding was sustained in patients with atopic dermatitis with soybean 55.6% (95% CI,36.8-74.3) compared to egg yolk. Sensitization to soybeans was most common in children aged 1 to 5 years old with 52.1% (95% CI,40.6-63.6) compared to rice and egg yolk P < 0.05. A different distribution was found for the 6 to 10 years old aged group: peanut 41.9% (95% CI,27.1-56.6) compared with egg yolk P < 0.05.

Conclusions

Milk is the most common food-allergen found by prick-to-prick in children independent of age or allergic diagnosis, with statistical significant difference, when compared to other food-allergens, in the group of food-allergy diagnosis and in the 1 to 5 years old age-group. Soybean is the most common food-allergen found in atopy patch test in the groups <1, 1 to 5 and >11 years old, independent of atopy related diagnosis, with statistical significant difference, when compared to other food-allergens in the group of atopic dermatitis and in the 1 to 5 years old age-group. For the 6 to 10 years old group peanut was the most common food-allergen found by APT, independent of atopy related diagnosis