Allergy Asthma Respir Dis.
2024 Apr;12(2):78-84. 10.4168/aard.2024.12.2.78.
Approach to children with IgE-mediated food allergy with a focus on oral allergy syndrome
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- 2Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
- 3Department of Pediatrics, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea
- 4Department of Pediatrics, Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- KMID: 2555658
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2024.12.2.78
Abstract
- Purpose
To assess the prevalence of food allergy, with a focus on oral allergy syndrome (OAS) in a population of children and to investigate relevant allergen sensitization associated with these adverse reactions.
Methods
This study involved 1,660 children (aged 4 to 13 years) experiencing seasonal allergy symptoms, who were enrolled in the 2015 prospective Seongnam Atopy Project (SAP 2015) in a South Korean municipality. Parents completed a structured questionnaire to assess children with OAS, collecting information on the duration, severity, and factors related to symptoms. Skin prick tests (n = 498) and blood sampling (n= 464) were performed to measure allergic sensitizations, total eosinophil counts, and levels both total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and birch-specific IgE.
Results
The prevalence of OAS among the children enrolled in this study was 4.4% (95% confidence interval, 3.7%–5.1%). The most common symptom was mouth itching (n= 106, 65.0%), and the primary food allergen associated with symptoms was kiwi (n= 48, 29.5%). Peanut sensitization (14.8% vs. 57.1%, P< 0.001) and sensitization to other nut products (15.6% vs. 47.6%, P= 0.001) were linked to a higher incidence of systemic reactions.
Conclusion
The prevalence of 4.4% underscores the significant health impact of OAS, especially in children experiencing food allergy-related symptoms. Notably, common allergens, such as kiwi, and the potential for additional systemic reactions associated with this condition highlight the importance of raising awareness.
