title: Nasal polyposis: role of subclinical delayed food hypersensitivity.
abstract: Nasal polyposis is a common problem in otolaryngology. The cause remains unclear, and treatment with medication and surgery is often unsatisfactory. We present our controlled study, which suggests a strong association between food allergy and nasal polyposis. The study was conducted in 2 parts. A postal survey of 900 patients with nasal polyps showed 53 respondents (5.9%) had a known food allergy. In the prospective study, 80 nasal polyp patients and 36 control subjects completed intradermal tests for food allergy. Sixty-five nasal polyp patients (81%) and 4 control subjects (11%) had positive intradermal food test results. This is highly significant. We believe that food allergy may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis and should be further studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eskici
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires