Clinical characteristics of patients with mustard hypersensitivity.
BACKGROUND
Although mustard is frequently consumed in Spain and elsewhere, only isolated case reports of mustard allergy have been reported. No large series of case studies have been published.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to describe demographic, clinical, and immunologic characteristics of patients with mustard hypersensitivity and to determine whether any significant differences exist in age, sex, atopic family history, total immunoglobulin E (IgE) level, and specific IgE to mustard ratio among patients with differing characteristics.


METHODS
Twenty-nine patients with a history of mustard allergy underwent skin prick tests with mustard, determination of total IgE, and evaluation of specific IgE to mustard. Skin prick tests with Lolium perenne, Olea europaea, and Artemisia vulgaris were done in patients with symptoms of pollinosis. The aforementioned variables were compared between various subgroups of patients for systemic versus local reactions to mustard, association versus no association with allergies to other vegetable foods, and association versus no association with pollinosis.


RESULTS
The male:female ratio was 10:19. Skin prick tests to mustard were positive in all patients. The total IgE geometric mean was 189.3 kU/L. The specific IgE to mustard was positive in all patients (0.7 to > 100 kU/L). Of the 29 patients, 19 (66%) had a systemic reaction after consumption of mustard, and 10 (34%) had a local reaction; 14 (48%) had anaphylaxis. Fifteen patients (52%) had symptoms after ingestion of other vegetable foods, and 15 also had typical symptoms of pollinosis. No significant differences were found in age, sex, atopic family history, total IgE, and specific IgE to mustard between the various subgroups studied.


CONCLUSIONS
Most study patients with mustard hypersensitivity had a systemic reaction and had associated pollinosis or allergy to other vegetable foods. Mustard sensitivity should be routinely tested in patients with idiopathic anaphylaxis.
Caballero
Teresa
T
Sección de Alergia, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain. mcm01m@inicia.es
San-Martín
María Soledad
MS
Padial
María Antonia
MA
Contreras
Javier
J
Cabañas
Rosario
R
Barranco
Pilar
P
López-Serrano
María Concepción
MC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009149:Mustard Plant / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000175:diagnosis; D012882:Skin Tests; D014675:Vegetables / Q000276:immunology
D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E