The prevalence and severity of reaction during the oral food challenge

Abstract

Objective: The diagnostic gold standard of food allergy is the oral food challenge. Oral food challenge may induce allergic reactions, ranging from mild cutaneous symptoms to severe, potentially life-threatening reaction. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and severity of reactions during oral food challenge.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective charts review of children undergoing oral food challenge at the our Allergy Clinic between September 2012 and September 2013 was performed.

Results: A total of 63 oral food challenges were included the study. Most frequently involved foods were cow's milk, pistachio nut and egg. Oral food challenge were carried out to confirm the diagnosis in 50 (79.4%) patients and were carried out to demonstrate the development of food tolerance in 13 (20.6%). 13/63 (20.6%) were positive. Twelve patients were defined mild reactions and one patient was anaphylaxis. There were no significant differences between the oral food challenge negative group and oral food challenge positive group in terms of sex, age at the time of oral food challenge, concomitant atopic disease, history of IgE mediated food allergy, peripheral eosinophils per cent, serum specific gE and total IgE (p>0.05). But there was a positive correlation between the size of skin prick test and oral food challenge positivity (rho: 0.307, p=0.019).

Conclusion: The majority of reactions during oral food challenge were mild. The size of skin prick test was the risk factor for the development of reaction during oral food challenge. Therefore, oral food challenge should be done by the experts and size of skin prick test should be taken into consideration before oral food challenge.

C1 [Topal, Erdem; Catal, Ferhat; Senbaba, Elif; Varol, Fatma Ilknur; Sinanoglu, Muhammed Selcuk; Yildirim, Nurdan; Ermistekin, Halime] Inonu Univ, Tip Fak, Turgut Ozal Tip Merkezi, Cocuk Sagligi & Hastaliklari Anabilim Dali,Cocuk, Elazig Yolu 15 Km, Malatya, Turkey.