Study indicating that gastric acid inhibitors can provoke food allergies

The research team of Dr. Erika Jensen-Jarolim from the Medizinische Universität Wien (Vienna Medical University) was named winner this past weekend of the ADF/ECARF Award for European Allergy Research for a study indicating that gastric acid inhibitors can provoke food allergies.

The international research team, whose members were from Germany, Austria and Hungary, conducted a three month-long clinical study on 200 patients in which the blood concentrations of allergy-inducing IgE antibodies increased following intake of gastric acid inhibitors. More than one in every ten patients in the cohort developed a completely new food allergy during the study.

The experimentation prize went to the research team of Dr. Jan Gutermuth from ZAUM (Zentrum Allergie und Umwelt der Technischen Universität München (University of Munich Allergy and Environment Center)) which conducted research on a possible allergy inoculation.

The prize winners were chosen during the dermatological congress Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dermatologische Forschung (ADF; Dermatological Research Association) which was held from March 3-5, 2005 in Innsbruck.

The goal of ECARF (European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation) is to increase knowledge and awareness of allergies in Europe.