Researchers may have defined a safer and less expensive way to determine the presence of food allergy in children, according to new research in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (JACI). The JACI is the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
Food allergy is very common in childhood, with 8% of infants being allergic to common foods. Unfortunately, a clinical history of a food allergy is accurate only 50% of the time. Currently, the only reliable way to diagnose a food allergy is through an oral food challenge, which is not only expensive and time consuming, but may also result in the child having a severe allergic reaction, also known as anaphylaxis.
Graham Roberts, DM and colleagues from Imperial College at St. Mary's, London, United Kingdom, examined the ability of skin prick and specific IgE testing to accurately predict the presence of food allergy to peanuts, the most common childhood food allergen.
They examined 157 children with a history suggestive of peanut allergy. All of the children underwent skin prick testing to peanut, a blood test for peanut-specific IgE and an oral food challenge to prove or disprove their food allergy. The researchers demonstrated: