title: Assessment of IgE-mediated food allergies in children with atopic dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory disease of the skin, which is characterised by a chronic relapsing course.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assign the prevalence of clinically active food allergies among a group of children between 3 months and 7 years of age, with AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight children with AD were screened for specific IgE antibodies to food proteins. All patients with AD and specific IgE antibodies to food proteins were subjected to Oral Food Challenges (OFCs) with the relevant foods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Food-sensitised patients with moderate levels of sIgE had clinically active food allergy to milk (39.28%) and egg (42.34%) on the basis of positive OFCs. High IgE and eosinophilia had a prevalence of almost 80% and 25%, regardless of concomitant food sensitisation and disease severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, clinically active food allergies were recognised in 26.13% of children with AD. Nevertheless, no association was confirmed between food sensitisation and AD severity. High IgE and peripheral eosinophilia have not been found more prevalent among children with severe AD nor among children with food sensitisation. Infants and younger children with AD should be screened for an underlying food allergy, regardless of disease severity.
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit of the 3rd Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: antigonemavrudi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mavroudi
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit of the 3rd Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karagiannidou
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit of the 3rd Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Xinias
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cassimos
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit of the 3rd Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karantaglis
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit 1st Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Farmaki
authors.affiliation: Organ Transplantation Unit, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Imvrios
authors.affiliation: 4th Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fotoulaki
authors.affiliation: 4th Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eboriadou
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit of the 3rd Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsanakas
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D004527:Egg Proteins; D008894:Milk Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Atopic dermatitis; Children; Eczema; Food allergy; Food hypersensitivity reactions