title: Sensitization pattern to inhalant and food allergens in symptomatic children at first evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data on specific IgE sensitization prevalence in children with allergy-like symptoms seen in the primary care setting are rare. Early diagnosis of allergic diseases is important to prevent clinical manifestations, exacerbations or expansion of allergic diseases to other organ systems. The present study aims to assess the usefulness of early serological diagnosis in children with common allergic symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  532 children (<15 years of age), with at least one of ten allergy-like symptoms, from 21 primary care centers in two geographic areas of Italy and Spain were included in the study. Patients were tested with, either Phadiatop® Infant (0-5 years of age) or Phadiatop® and food mix (fx5e) (>5 years of age) to discriminate atopic from non-atopic subjects. A blood sample of atopic subjects was taken for additional 6-26 specific IgE antibody determinations from a predefined panel using the ImmunoCAP® System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  267 children (50.2 %) were positive in the initial test and were classified as atopic. 14 % were mono-sensitized, 37 % were sensitized to 2-3 allergens and 49 % to more than 3 allergens. The average number of symptoms in the atopic group was 3.3 vs 2.8 in the non-atopic group. The prevalence of sensitization to single allergens was highest for grass and ragweed pollen and house-dust mites (19-28 %). Sensitization to tree allergens was highest for olive tree (16.5 %). Cow's milk and egg white were the most sensitizing foods (~15 %). Food allergen sensitization predominated in younger children (OR = 2.8) whereas the inverse occurred with inhalant allergens (OR = 2.5 to 5.6). A significant positive correlation between patient age and the number of sensitizations was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific IgE sensitization in children with allergy-like symptoms is common. Multiple sensitization is predominating. Number of clinical symptoms was higher in the atopic group compared to the non-atopic without a correlation with the number of positive allergens. Age seems to play a crucial role in the development of sensitization with a significant positive correlation between patient age and the number of sensitizations.
authors.affiliation: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden. allerg@tin.it.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiocchi
authors.affiliation: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden. valentina.pecora@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pecora
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Vatican City, Italy. carljohan.petersson@telia.com.
authors.forename: Carl Johan
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Petersson
authors.affiliation: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden. Lamia.dahdah@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lamia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dahdah
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Vatican City, Italy. magnus.borres@thermofisher.com.|Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. magnus.borres@thermofisher.com.
authors.forename: Magnus P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Borres
authors.affiliation: Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Spain. mjamengual@tauli.cat.
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Amengual
authors.affiliation: Allergy Research Group, Department of Dermatology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. johannes.huss-marp@abbvie.com.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huss-Marp
authors.affiliation: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden. oscar.mazzina@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mazzina
authors.affiliation: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden. francesco.digirolamo@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Girolamo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E