Diagnosis of food allergy.
BACKGROUND
Food allergy is gaining substantial interest by both the public and health professionals. It is usually overdiagnosed by the public and misdiagnosed by physicians.


OBJECTIVE
To provide an outline for appropriate evaluation of patients suspected of having food allergy.


METHODS
Information was derived from selected review and original articles published in peer-reviewed journals and from authoritative textbook chapters, supplemented by the clinical experience of the author.


RESULTS
Several approaches have been used for food allergy diagnosis, including the medical history, trials of elimination diets, food/symptom diary, skin testing, in vitro tests, and oral challenges. In most cases, the medical history is inconclusive and the reliability of the in vivo and in vitro tests is suboptimal. Appropriately designed challenge testing remains the gold standard, although it has a few limitations.


CONCLUSIONS
Appropriate selection, application, and interpretation of tests for food allergy are necessary for attaining a high degree of accuracy of diagnosis.
Bahna
Sami L
SL
Department of Pediatrics, Allergy & Immunology Section, Louisiana State University, Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana 71130-3932, USA. sbahna@lsuhsc.edu
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians