title: Randomized controlled trial of early regular egg intake to prevent egg allergy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ideal age to introduce egg into the infant diet has been debated for the past 2 decades in the context of rising rates of egg allergy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine whether regular consumption of egg protein from age 4 to 6 months reduces the risk of IgE-mediated egg allergy in infants with hereditary risk, but without eczema.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infants aged 4 to 6 months were randomly allocated to receive daily pasteurized raw whole egg powder (n = 407) or a color-matched rice powder (n = 413) to age 10 months. All infants followed an egg-free diet and cooked egg was introduced to both groups at age 10 months. The primary outcome was IgE-mediated egg allergy defined by a positive pasteurized raw egg challenge and egg sensitization at age 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference between groups in the percentage of infants with IgE-mediated egg allergy (egg 7.0% vs control 10.3%; adjusted relative risk, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.48-1.17; P = .20). A higher proportion of participants in the egg group stopped taking the study powder because of a confirmed allergic reaction (25 of 407 [6.1%] compared with 6 of 413 [1.5%]). Egg-specific IgG4levels were substantially higher in the egg group at 12 months (median, 1.22 mgA/L vs control 0.07 mgA/L; P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no evidence that regular egg intake from age 4 to 6 months substantially alters the risk of egg allergy by age 1 year in infants who are at hereditary risk of allergic disease and had no eczema symptoms at study entry.
authors.affiliation: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, the University of Western Australia (M561), Perth, Australia; Women's & Children's Health Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: debbie.palmer@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Debra J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.affiliation: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, the University of Western Australia (M561), Perth, Australia; Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Prescott
authors.affiliation: Women's & Children's Health Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, Australia; Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makrides
mesh_terms: D004311:Double-Blind Method; D021181:Egg Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D004531:Eggs / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D004527:Egg Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Allergy prevention; complementary feeding; egg; food allergy; hereditary risk; oral tolerance; randomized controlled trial