IgE food sensitization in infants with eczema attending a dermatology department.
OBJECTIVE
Because community-based studies, which report IgE food sensitization (IgE-FS) in more than 80% of infants with moderate atopic eczema, may be influenced by referral bias, we assessed the prevalence of IgE-FS in a cohort of infants with moderate atopic eczema attending a dermatology department clinic.


METHODS
Consecutive infants (n = 51, 39 males; median age, 34 weeks; range, 20 to 51 weeks) with moderate atopic eczema referred to a university-affiliated dermatology department were studied prospectively. Clinical history and eczema severity were documented. IgE-FS was assessed by the skin prick test (SPT; n = 51) and food-specific serum IgE antibodies (CAP-FEIA test; n = 41). IgE-FS was diagnosed if the SPT or CAP-FEIA level exceeded the >95% predictive reference cutoff for positive food challenges.


RESULTS
Based on SPT, 44 of 51 infants (86%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 74% to 94%) had IgE-FS (cow's milk, 16%; egg, 73%; peanut, 51%). Using age-specific 95%-predictive cutoff values, CAP-FEIA identified 34 of 41 infants (83%; 95% CI = 68% to 93%) with IgE-FS (cow's milk, 23%; egg, 80%). Forty-six (90%) infants had IgE-FS to at least 1 food item by either SPT or CAP-FEIA.


CONCLUSIONS
Atopic eczema was found to be closely associated with IgE-FS in infants attending a dermatology department.
Hill
David J
DJ
Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia. dave.hill@bigpond.com
Heine
Ralf G
RG
Hosking
Cliff S
CS
Brown
Jennifer
J
Thiele
Leone
L
Allen
Katrina J
KJ
Su
John
J
Varigos
George
G
Carlin
John B
JB
D000818:Animals; D010367:Arachis / Q000276:immunology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology; D010063:Ovum / Q000276:immunology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012882:Skin Tests
D007073:Immunoglobulin E