title: [Epidemiological characteristics of patients with food allergy assisted at Regional Center of Allergies and Clinical Immunology of Monterrey].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Food allergy is an abnormal immunologic response to food allergens. Prevalence varies between 2% and 8%, although it could vary according to age and ethnicity. Clinical manifestations are diverse among systems. There is few information about this issue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To know epidemiologic features in patients with food allergy attended at Monterrey University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational, transversal and retrospective study was done, identifying 60 patients with food allergy diagnosis attended in our service from June 1, 2007 to December 31, 2008. Epidemiologic and clinical data were registered. Data was processed with statistical program SPSS v16.0 for windows with descriptive statistic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of food allergy reported in first time medical consultation was 2.67%, 51% of the patients were under 5 years of age. Most frequent foods were: dairy products, egg, fish, shrimp, beans, soy, chili, mango, cacao, and strawberry. Main symptoms were cutaneous in 58% of the patients, followed by gastrointestinal and respiratory. Most common concomitant diseases were: urticarial angioedema (38%), allergic rhinitis (20%), atopic dermatitis (15%), and asthma (6.6%). Average time for diagnosis was 1.45 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most common foods with positive Prick test results were dairy products, egg and fish. Despite the variability of the clinical manifestations, cutaneous and gastrointestinal manifestations are the most frequent; however, the diagnosis depends on the suspicion as well.
authors.affiliation: Centro Regional de Alergia e Inmunología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Dr. José E González, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. pagoz@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Pablo Gabriel
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Ortiz
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Mendoza
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arias-Cruz
authors.forename: Sandra Nora
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: González-Díaz
authors.forename: Dayanara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Herrera-Castro
authors.forename: Alma Catalina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Vidaurri-Ojeda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000009:adverse effects; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009754:Nuts / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017747:Seafood / Q000009:adverse effects; D014675:Vegetables / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult