Food allergies, as a type of adverse immune-mediated reactions to ingested food proteins, have become a serious public health issue that harms children and adults health, with increasing incidence year by year. However, without effective therapy for food allergies, doctors-have mostly advised to avoid allergens and provided symptomatic treatment. According to the findings of many studies, allergic diseases are correlated with intestinal barrier function injury, as evidenced by the significant increase in the intestinal permeability among patients with food allergies. In this paper, recent studies on correlations between food allergies and intestinal barrier functions, intestinal barrier function injury mechanisms of allergic foods and food allergy intervention strategies based on intestinal barrier functions were summarized to provide reference for laboratory researches and clinical treatment of food allergic diseases.
Animals ; Food Hypersensitivity ; immunology ; therapy ; Humans ; Intestines ; immunology

Child ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; etiology ; immunology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo study the atopy spectrum and the influence of clinical characteristics upon it in asthmatic children under 4 years of age.

METHODSClinical data of 62 asthmatic children under 4 years of age, including age, sex, the age of first wheezing attack, the total times of wheezing attack, the duration of history of wheezing, and the allergic history of both children and parents, were collected. The screening tests on allergens (fx5E, mx2 and Phadiatop) were conducted by fluoroenzyme-immunometric assay using the UniCAP100 system. The total serum IgE level was also measured. Logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of clinical characteristics on allergic sensitization.

RESULTSThe positive rates of fx5E, mx2 and Phadiatop were 40.3%, 14.5% and 14.5% respectively, and the total allergic sensitization screening test rate was 46.8%. The sensitization rate to inhalant allergens was 24.2%. The allergic history of parent (s), the sensitization to food allergens, the age of first wheezing attack and total serum IgE level were main factors influencing the sensitization to inhalant allergens.

CONCLUSIONSAbout a quarter of asthmatic children under 4 years of age showed sensitization to inhalant allergens. The asthmatic history of parent (s), the sensitization to food allergens, the age of first wheezing attack greater than 2 years and the significantly higher total serum IgE level may increase the possibility of sensitization to inhalant allergens in asthmatic children under 4 years of age.

Allergens ; immunology ; Asthma ; immunology ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; immunology ; Humans ; Infant ; Logistic Models ; Male

Eosinophils ; immunology ; Food Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Gastritis ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Milk Hypersensitivity ; complications ; immunology ; Milk Proteins ; immunology

The incidence of allergic diseases (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis and food allergy) increased gradually over recent decades, and an increasing number of patients are suffering from allergic diseases, thus the rise in allergic disease incidence warrants concern. Researchers have already had a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Mounting evidence has shown that the eosinophils play an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Many systematic studies have been conducted about eosinophils, therefore, this review will provide a summary on recent progress in eosinophils and allergic diseases.
Asthma ; etiology ; immunology ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; etiology ; immunology ; Eczema ; etiology ; immunology ; Eosinophils ; Food Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; immunology ; Humans ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; etiology ; immunology

A diagnosis of food allergies should be made based on the observation of allergic symptoms following the intake of suspected foods and the presence of allergen-specific IgE antibodies. The oral food challenge (OFC) test is the most reliable clinical procedure for diagnosing food allergies. Specific IgE testing of allergen components as well as classical crude allergen extracts helps to make a more specific diagnosis of food allergies. The Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology issued the 'Japanese Pediatric Guideline for Food Allergy 2012' to provide information regarding the standardized diagnosis and management of food allergies. This review summarizes recent progress in the diagnosis of food allergies, focusing on the use of specific IgE tests and the OFC procedure in accordance with the Japanese guidelines.
Allergy and Immunology ; Antibodies ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Diagnosis ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease. Children with AD tend to have a higher prevalence of food allergies. This study investigated the clinical significance of food sensitization in AD patients. A total of 266 AD patients participated in this study. The prevalence of food sensitization and clinically relevant sensitization were compared in the subjects according to their age and AD severity. Sera from all patients were analyzed for food-specific IgE levels using the Pharmacia CAP System FEIA. The serum specific IgE levels for egg, milk, peanut and soybean were measured. Patients were regarded as sensitized to the food if their food-specific IgE levels were above 0.35 kUA/L. Also the food-specific IgE levels, the so-called diagnostic decision point, which is recommended as the clinically relevant level, for clinical food allergy, as suggested by Sampson et al, was used as an alternative method. From the measurement of food-specific IgE antibodies of the four foods, egg was the most highly sensitized and the main causative allergenic food in children with AD. The positive rates of specific IgE to the four major food allergens, and the prevalences of clinically relevant food sensitization, were higher for all foods tested in the group less than 1 year of age, and were significantly higher in moderate to severe AD compared to mild AD in infants and young children. In summary, presence of food specific IgE is prevalent in infants and young children with AD, and clinically relevant food sensitization is important in Korean infants and children with moderate to severe AD.
Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis, Atopic/*immunology ; Egg Hypersensitivity/epidemiology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/blood ; Infant ; Male ; Milk Hypersensitivity/epidemiology ; Peanut Hypersensitivity/epidemiology ; Soybeans/immunology

Antigens ; immunology ; Child ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Exposure ; Milk Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Milk, Human ; immunology ; Pregnancy

This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of soy protein hypersensitivity in cow's milk protein-sensitive children in Korea. A total of 1,363 patients with atopic dermatitis, urticaria, enterocolitis syndrome, bronchial asthma or allergic rhinitis were recruited. First, we estimated the prevalence of sensitization to soy in children sensitized to cow's milk. Specific IgE levels > 0.7 kU/L by CAP assay were considered positive. Next, the prevalence of soy allergy in cow's milk allergy (CMA) patients was investigated. Those children whose parents agreed to participate the open challenge test with soy had a convincing history of allergic reactions elicited by cow's milk and these symptoms were relieved by elimination. All of them had negative soy-specific IgE. Patients with positive soy-specific IgE accounted for 18.3% of 224 children sensitized to cow's milk protein. The prevalence of sensitization to soy decreased with age (36.8% in the first year of life, 16.4% in the second year, and 13.7% in the third year). Of 21 CMA patients, 42.9% (n=9) were determined to have soy allergy (mean age 10.3 months). Our results suggest that soy protein formula should be carefully used as a substitute for cow's milk in CMA patients, especially during infancy.
Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Allergens ; Asthma/immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis, Atopic/immunology ; Enterocolitis/immunology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity/*epidemiology/immunology ; Human ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E/blood/metabolism ; Infant ; Korea ; Male ; Milk Hypersensitivity/*epidemiology/immunology ; Prevalence ; Rhinitis/immunology ; Soybean Proteins/*chemistry ; Urticaria/immunology

OBJECTIVEThe causes of chronic diarrhea in children are complex. At present, food allergy is generally viewed as an important cause of this disorder, and IgG-mediated delayed allergy plays a major role in this process. This study aimed to explore the link between food specific IgG and chronic diarrhea in children, as well as the value of food allergens-specific IgG antibody detection in the management of this disorder.

METHODSEighty-two children with chronic diarrhea and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum levels of specific IgG antibody to 14 kinds of food were detected using ELISA. The results were classified into four grades: Grade 0 (negative), Grade 1 (mild allergy), Grade 2 (moderate allergy) and Grade 3 (severe allergy). The patients received a diet treatment based on the results of food specific IgG antibody detection. Children with negative IgG antibody were allowed to continue their current diet. In children with Grade 1 allergy, the food responsible for the IgG antibody positive test was given only at an interval of four days. In children with Grade 2 or 3, the offending food was eliminated from the diet.

RESULTSOf the 82 children with chronic diarrhea, 79 (96.2%) had increased specific IgG levels for one or more of the 14 foods tested compared to 8 (26.7%) of the controls (P <0.01). The majority of patients showed increased specific IgG levels for milk (68.3%) and egg (62.2%). A low proportion of patients (2.4%) was allergic to chicken, and no patient was allergic to pork. The symptoms were improved in 65 patients (79.3%) after 1 week to 3 months of diet treatment.

CONCLUSIONSFood allergy is one of major causes of chronic childhood diarrhea. Food specific IgG antibody detection may assist in the dietary management of this disorder.

Allergens ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chronic Disease ; Diarrhea ; etiology ; immunology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Infant ; Male