title: Sensitization to common food allergens is a risk factor for asthma in young Chinese children in Hong Kong.
abstract: Sensitization to aeroallergens is a major risk factor for asthma. Although patients frequently consider food ingestion as an asthma trigger, the relationship between serum food-specific IgE antibodies and childhood asthma in China remains unclear. We therefore conducted a case-control study on asthmatic children attending a university hospital-based outpatient clinic to investigate their pattern of food sensitization. Asthmatic patients underwent spirometric assessment, and peripheral blood was collected for serum-specific IgE antibodies to common food and inhalant allergens. Two hundred and thirty-one asthmatics (aged 9.3+/-4.3 years) and 79 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. The serum logarithmic total IgE concentrations in patients and controls were 2.49 and 1.92, respectively (p < 0.0001). Subjects with increased serum total IgE level were significantly more likely to have food sensitization than those with normal values (33% vs. 16%; p = 0.001). Twenty-nine (52%) of 56 asthmatics younger than 6 years old and seven (27%) of 26 age-matched controls hadfood-specific IgE in their sera (p = 0.035). Asthmatics with food-specific IgE also used more doses of as-needed bronchodilator weekly (p = 0.005). Nonetheless, no association was found between asthma diagnosis and sensitization to individual food allergens. Significant food sensitization, with food-specific IgE level above 95% predictive values for clinical food allergy as proposed by Sampson, was only found in two patients for peanut and three subjects for egg white. In conclusion, a significant association was found between asthma and the presence of food-specific IgE antibodies in young Chinese children. Significant sensitization to common foods is rare in this cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR. leung2142@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Ting-fan
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Christopher W K
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Iris H S
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Albert M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Nelson L S
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D010367:Arachis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D044466:Asian People; D001249:Asthma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004529:Egg White / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000276:immunology; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000485:Allergens; D008894:Milk Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E