Sait Karaman, Semiha Erdem Bahçeci, Hikmet Tekin Nacaroğlu, Canan Şule Karaman, Demet Can
Abstract
Background: Oral food challenges (OFCs) are performed for diagnosis of a food allergy where the food allergy is not supported by the history or because a newly developed tolerance needs to be established.
Objective: Our aims were to investigate the prevalence and severity of reactions during OFC in preschool children.
Material and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on children younger than five on whom OFC was performed with milk, egg white and egg yolk, and who had been admitted to Behçet Uz Childrens Hospital, Division of Pediatric Allergy between the dates of January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2014. The symptoms developed during OFC were classified and recorded.
Results: A total of 122 patients who received OFC were included in the study. Of the patients, 69.7% (n=85) were male and 50.8% (n=62) had a history of IgE–mediated food allergy. Co-existing allergy was determined in 57.4% (n=70) of the patients. Milk, egg white and egg-yolk were used in 46.5%, 30.5% and 23.0% of the tests, respectively. Of these, 19% (n=33) were mild and 4.5% (n=7) were moderate in terms of the development of symptoms. It was determined that it had no effect on reaction development if SPT wheal size and the food specific IgE level were below the cut-off point with 95% positive predictive value (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The severity of OFC symptoms for egg and milk that is frequently used in preschool children is generally mild and easy to manage if the OFC test is conducted while serum specific IgE or SPT wheal size is below the cut-off point.
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