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Children tolerated baked egg, outgrew egg allergies
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More than half of pediatric patients who were allergic to egg safely tolerated egg in baked foods, and a majority outgrew their egg allergy, according to data presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting in Anaheim, Calif.
In a 1-year study, researchers evaluated 36 patients (median age 6 years; 67% male) with hen’s egg allergies who participated in an oral food challenge. Patients consumed a standard cake/bread recipe that required three eggs baked at 350°F for at least 30 minutes. Among the cohort, 20 patients (56%) tolerated baked egg with a median dose of two to five baked eggs. The other 16 patients were reactive to baked egg and trended toward being younger (median age 5.5 years), male sex (75%) and having a larger median egg skin-prick test wheal size (10 mm).
“Dietary introduction of baked egg by an allergist can broaden a child’s diet, improve quality of life and likely accelerate the development of an egg tolerance,” researcher Rushani Saltzman, MD, attending physician, clinical associate, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, said in a press release.
Results of a separate randomized, cross-sectional survey indicated that nearly 30% of children with food allergies outgrew their allergies.
The investigators, led by Ruchi Gupta, MD, reported that among 40,104 children, 2,120 cases of food allergy were identified among patients aged older than 10 years. Researchers said 28% outgrew their allergy, and of the eight most common food allergens, children became tolerant of egg in 55% of cases by age 7 years, followed by milk (45%). Children were less likely to outgrow other allergens, including tree nut (16%) and shellfish (14%).
Tolerance was greater among boys (OR=1.42; 95% CI, 1.05-1.93) and significantly lower in children with severe food allergy compared with mild or moderate allergy (OR=0.16; 95% CI, 0.11-0.24).
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Gupta R. FP18.
Saltzman RW. FP10.
Both presented at: ACAAI Annual Scientific Meeting; Nov. 8-13, 2012; Anaheim, Calif.