Food allergy and additives: triggers in asthma.
Exposure to food allergens can cause a varied pattern of respiratory symptoms, with allergic responses ranging from asthma symptoms to occupational asthma. Food allergy in a patient presenting as asthma tends to indicate a more severe disease constellation. Patients with underlying asthma experience more severe and life-threatening allergic food reactions. When a food reaction involves respiratory symptoms, it is almost always a more severe reaction compared with reactions that do not involve the respiratory tract. Susceptible patients may even react to a causative food on inhalation without ingestion. However, isolated asthma or rhinitis symptoms without concomitant cutaneous or gastrointestinal symptoms are rare events.
Spergel
Jonathan M
JM
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 34th Sreet and Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. spergel@email.chop.edu
Fiedler
Joel
J
D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D005503:Food Additives / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D005503:Food Additives