Back حساسية الطعام Arabic Alerhiya sa kakanon BCL Харчовая алергія BE-X-OLD খাদ্যে অ্যালার্জি Bengali/Bangla Al·lèrgia als aliments Catalan Potravinová alergie Czech Nahrungsmittelallergie German Τροφική αλλεργία Greek Alergia a alimentos Spanish Toiduallergia Estonian

Food allergy

Food allergy
Hives on the back are a common allergy symptom.
SpecialtyEmergency medicine, allergy and immunology
SymptomsItchiness, swelling of the tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, trouble breathing, low blood pressure[1]
Usual onsetMinutes to several hours of exposure[1]
DurationLong term, some may resolve[2]
CausesImmune response to food[1]
Risk factorsFamily history, vitamin D deficiency, obesity, high levels of cleanliness[1][2]
Diagnostic methodBased on a medical history, elimination diet, skin prick test, oral food challenge[1][2]
Differential diagnosisFood intolerance, celiac disease, food poisoning[1]
PreventionEarly exposure to potential allergens,[2][3] omalizumab
TreatmentAvoiding the food in question, having a plan if exposure occurs, medical alert jewelry[1][2]
MedicationAdrenaline (epinephrine)[1]
Frequency~6% (developed world)[1][2]

A food allergy is an abnormal immune response to food. The symptoms of the allergic reaction may range from mild to severe. They may include itchiness, swelling of the tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, trouble breathing, or low blood pressure. This typically occurs within minutes to several hours of exposure. When the symptoms are severe, it is known as anaphylaxis.[1] A food intolerance and food poisoning are separate conditions, not due to an immune response.[1][4]

Common foods involved include cow's milk, peanuts, eggs, shellfish, fish, tree nuts, soy, wheat, and sesame.[1][5][2][6] The common allergies vary depending on the country.[1] Risk factors include a family history of allergies, vitamin D deficiency, obesity, and high levels of cleanliness.[1][2] Allergies occur when immunoglobulin E (IgE), part of the body's immune system, binds to food molecules.[1] A protein in the food is usually the problem.[2] This triggers the release of inflammatory chemicals such as histamine.[1] Diagnosis is usually based on a medical history, elimination diet, skin prick test, blood tests for food-specific IgE antibodies, or oral food challenge.[1][2]

Management involves avoiding the food in question and having a plan if exposure occurs.[2] This plan may include giving adrenaline (epinephrine) and wearing medical alert jewelry.[1] Early childhood exposure to potential allergens may be protective against later development of a food allergy.[2][3] The benefits of allergen immunotherapy for treating food allergies are not proven, thus not recommended as of 2015.[7] Some types of food allergies among children resolve with age, including those to milk, eggs, and soy; while others such as to nuts and shellfish typically do not.[2]

In the developed world, about 4% to 8% of people have at least one food allergy.[1][2] They are more common in children than adults and appear to be increasing in frequency.[2] Male children appear to be more commonly affected than females.[2] Some allergies more commonly develop early in life, while others typically develop in later life.[1] In developed countries, more people believe they have food allergies when they actually do not have them.[8][9][10]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (July 2012). "Food Allergy An Overview" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Sicherer SH, Sampson HA (February 2014). "Food allergy: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment". The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 133 (2): 291–307, quiz 308. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2013.11.020. PMID 24388012.
  3. ^ a b Ierodiakonou D, Garcia-Larsen V, Logan A, Groome A, Cunha S, Chivinge J, et al. (September 2016). "Timing of Allergenic Food Introduction to the Infant Diet and Risk of Allergic or Autoimmune Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis". JAMA. 316 (11): 1181–1192. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.12623. hdl:10044/1/40479. PMID 27654604.
  4. ^ Boyce JA, Assa'ad A, Burks AW, Jones SM, Sampson HA, Wood RA, et al. (December 2010). "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Summary of the NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel Report". The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 126 (6): 1105–1118. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2010.10.008. PMC 4241958. PMID 21134568.
  5. ^ Sicherer SH, Sampson HA (January 2018). "Food allergy: A review and update on epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prevention, and management". The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 141 (1): 41–58. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.11.003. PMID 29157945.
  6. ^ Nowak-Węgrzyn A, Katz Y, Mehr SS, Koletzko S (May 2015). "Non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergy". The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 135 (5): 1114–1124. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2015.03.025. PMID 25956013.
  7. ^ "Allergen Immunotherapy". 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Making sense of allergies" (PDF). Sense About Science. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  9. ^ Coon ER, Quinonez RA, Moyer VA, Schroeder AR (November 2014). "Overdiagnosis: how our compulsion for diagnosis may be harming children". Pediatrics. 134 (5): 1013–1023. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-1778. PMID 25287462.
  10. ^ Ferreira CT, Seidman E (2007). "Food allergy: a practical update from the gastroenterological viewpoint". Jornal de Pediatria. 83 (1): 7–20. doi:10.2223/JPED.1587. PMID 17279290.

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