Background. Up to 20% of population perceives their symptoms as caused by food allergy/intolerance, but only in 1-4% of cases a causal role of food allergy can be demonstrated. Therefore there is a huge discrepancy between perception of food allergy and results of the allergological work-up, leading to financial, nutritional, and health consequences. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of pertinent requested allergy consultations for suspected food allergy. Methods. A multicenter study conducted by Junior Members of Italian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (SIAIC). All patients referred to the investigators for suspected food allergy between February-June 2009 were included. Clinical histories have been recorded, and patients underwent to an appropriate allergological work-up. Allergists expressed an opinion about the pertinence of each requested consultation. Results. 145/272 (53.3%) allergy consultations were considered as "pertinent", 67 (46.2%) of which were concluded with a proved diagnosis of food allergy. 64/127 (50.4%) non-pertinent visits may have been avoided because symptoms were consistent with already known diseases of patients. The pertinence of allergy consultations were more frequently due to cutaneous (urticaria, angioedema, p < 0.001), laryngeal (p = 0.002), oral-allergy-syndrome (p < 0.001) and anaphylaxis (p = 0.042) symptoms; non-pertinent visits were preferentially associated to abdominal bloating (p = 0.002), gastritis symptoms (p = 0.026) and diarrhea (p = 0.017). Discussion. About 45% of food-allergy consultations were considered "non-pertinent"; most of them may have been avoided because symptoms were consistent with already and untreated known diseases. Gastroenteric symptoms were the most frequent reason of non-pertinent consultations, while cutaneous symptoms were often considered as "pertinent".
Pertinence of requested allergy consultations for suspected food allergy/intolerance. A Junior Members working group of Italian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (SIAIC) multicenter study.
Heffler E;
2011-01-01
Abstract
Background. Up to 20% of population perceives their symptoms as caused by food allergy/intolerance, but only in 1-4% of cases a causal role of food allergy can be demonstrated. Therefore there is a huge discrepancy between perception of food allergy and results of the allergological work-up, leading to financial, nutritional, and health consequences. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of pertinent requested allergy consultations for suspected food allergy. Methods. A multicenter study conducted by Junior Members of Italian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (SIAIC). All patients referred to the investigators for suspected food allergy between February-June 2009 were included. Clinical histories have been recorded, and patients underwent to an appropriate allergological work-up. Allergists expressed an opinion about the pertinence of each requested consultation. Results. 145/272 (53.3%) allergy consultations were considered as "pertinent", 67 (46.2%) of which were concluded with a proved diagnosis of food allergy. 64/127 (50.4%) non-pertinent visits may have been avoided because symptoms were consistent with already known diseases of patients. The pertinence of allergy consultations were more frequently due to cutaneous (urticaria, angioedema, p < 0.001), laryngeal (p = 0.002), oral-allergy-syndrome (p < 0.001) and anaphylaxis (p = 0.042) symptoms; non-pertinent visits were preferentially associated to abdominal bloating (p = 0.002), gastritis symptoms (p = 0.026) and diarrhea (p = 0.017). Discussion. About 45% of food-allergy consultations were considered "non-pertinent"; most of them may have been avoided because symptoms were consistent with already and untreated known diseases. Gastroenteric symptoms were the most frequent reason of non-pertinent consultations, while cutaneous symptoms were often considered as "pertinent".I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
