• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.90-97
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to determined the rate of sensitization to food allergen in children with Atopic Dermatitis (AD) in Korea. A total of 3,783 patients (male = 1983, female = 1800) with AD (age under 18 years) who had visited Samsung Medical Center from 1998 to 2003 were enrolled in the study. Food hypersensitivity was measured by specific IgE to egg, cow's milk, soy, peanut, wheat, buckwheat, beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, crab, salmon, mackerel, etc. Specific IgE levels > 0.7 kU/L. by Captured Allergen Product (CAP) assay were considered positive. Chi-square test at p value < 0.05 was used to examine the difference of the prevalence by sex and age. The rate of sensitization to multiple food allergens was 31.2% and decreased with age. Hypersensitivity to egg showed highest prevalence, which was 24.3%, compared to the prevalence of other foods. High prevalence of hypersensitivity to milk. wheat, soy, peanut, crab or shrimp was observed (11.6- 17.7%). Low prevalence of hypersensitivity to beef, pork, tuna or chicken was observed (1.9-3.5%). Children aged under 3 years had significantly higher prevalence of hypersensitivity to egg, milk, soy and beef than children aged at least 3 years. Our results stress the need for examination of food hypersensitivity aimed at identified and limited each food allergen among children with AD caused by food to help patients outgrow their food allergy.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.264-270
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• 2005

Breastfeeding has been known as the best feeding practice to prevent allergies including atopic dermatitis (AD) However, the benefit on the prevention of allergic disease is still controversial. The objectives of this study were to examine the rate of sensitization to the protein of eggs, cow's milk and soy in exclusively breastfed infants and to evaluate antigen-antibody reaction between breast milk and serum of AD infant. Data on feeding and food hypersensitivity were obtained for 62 AD infants (32 male, 30 female) aged < 6 month who had visited Samsung Medical Center from September 2001 to May 2003. Food hypersensitivity was determined by measuring specific IgE to egg, cow's milk and soy. Specific IgE levels > 0.7 kU/L by CAP assay (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden) were considered positive. The rates of sensitization in breastfed infants were $41.9\%$ (26/62) to egg, $30.6\%$ (19/62) to milk and $18.0\%$ (11/62) to soy. Immunoblotting analyses were performed using breast milk with the matched serum of seven AD infants (4 male/3 female). Binding patterns of AD infant's IgE to breast milk extract showed visible specific band for immunoglobulin, especially in case of a lactating mother who did not completely restricted ingestion of egg, milk and soy. These results indicate that sensitization to food allergen develops via breast milk feeding. Breast milk feeding should be recommended in infants at risk of developing allergic disease, but maternal intake of highly allergenic food might be restricted for prevention and treatment of food allergy among the babies with AD.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.39-45
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• 2018

Purpose: Food Allergen Immunotherapy (Oral) is a form of immunotherapy administered to patients who are allergic to foods such as egg, milk, and peanut. The food allergen is orally administered to the patient in an escalating dose for desensitization or tolerance development. The safety and effectiveness of the therapy were assessed using a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Methods: For a literature search, 8 national databases and a number of international databases including Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were used; and 13 articles (all from international databases) were selected. The target of Food Allergen Immunotherapy (Oral) included patients with food allergy, and the intervention was food allergen immunotherapy without limiting the food type. The safety and effectiveness of Food Allergen Immunotherapy (Oral) were assessed by reviewing all the articles reporting on the therapy. The control group received standard therapies including aversion therapy, no treatment, anti-histamine treatment, and placebo. Safety was assessed through the incidence of complication and emergency medication. Effectiveness was assessed based on therapy success rate, symptomatic improvement, and quality of life. Results: Although Food Allergen Immunotherapy (Oral) was shown to have successful desensitization in patients with food allergy, the safety of the technique has not yet reached an acceptable level; the possible reason is due to the high rate of complication and frequency of emergency medication. Also, each study employed varying protocols while relying on a small number of participants and a short monitoring period. Conclusion: The results of assessment suggest that the level of evidence from current literature review is low and further research is necessitated for the verification of the safety and effectiveness of the therapy (Grade of Recommendation: A; Level of Technology: II-b).

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.337-344
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• 2007

We have investigated the relationship between food allergen sensitization and allergic disease in 74 child (male 47, female 27) patients from 0 to 14 years of age diagnosed with allergic disease. The age distribution for the study was: newborn to 3 years old, 34 children; 4 to 6 years old, 24 children; 7 to 9 years old, 8 children and above 10 years old, 8 children. Of the 74 children, 10 children were allergic to 3 of the 21 types of foods tested, 21 children were allergic to 4 types and 15 children were allergic to 5 types. The results of specific IgE tests for class 2 (0.070-3.49 IV/mL, IgE density in serum) showed that 29 children were allergic to milk, 28 children to bean, 21 children to cheese, 7 children to egg, and 18 children to pork, while over class 2, 20 children were allergic to bean, 17 children to milk, 24 children to cheese, 20 children to egg, and 21 children to pork. A questionnaire was used to survey family allergy history and diet patterns for 40 child (male 22, female 18) patients with allergic disease. The frequencies of a family history of allergy were 45.5% for males and 50.0% for females. The allergic diseases included atopic dermatitis: 26.0%, atopic nasitis: 10.5%, atopic dermatitis + atopic nasitis : 31.5%, hives: 21.0%, and asthma: 10.5%. Children on diets of mixed breast feeding and infant formula were more allergic than those on either breast feeding or infant formula feeding. Eliminated allergenic foods were egg + milk: 12.5%, egg: 10.0%, and milk 2.5%.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.488-494
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• 2013

A food allergy is an adverse health effect arising from a specific immune response that occurs reproducibly upon exposure to a given food. In those with food allergies that are thought to cause aggravation of eczema, food avoidance is important. The objective of this study was to research the nutritional status of patients with food allergies. A total of 225 subjects diagnosed with atopic dermatitis underwent a skin prick test as well as measurement of serum immunoglobulin E. Food challenge tests were conducted using seven food items: milk, eggs, wheat, soybeans, beef, pork, and chicken. At post-food challenge visits to the test clinic, participants completed a three-day dietary record, which included two week days and one weekend day, in order to evaluate energy intake and diet quality during the challenge. We analyzed nutrient intake based on differential food allergens. Subjects with a food allergy to milk showed lower intake of Ca, Zn, and vitamin B2, and subjects with a food allergy to egg showed lower intake of vitamin A, B1, B2, niacin, and cholesterol. Subjects with a food allergy to wheat and soybean showed lower intake of Ca, P, Fe, K, Zn, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and niacin; and subjects with a food allergy to beef, pork, and chicken showed lower intake of Fe and higher intake of K, vitamin A, B2. Subjects with atopic dermatitis were lacking in several nutrients, including vitamin A and vitamin C. A greater number of food allergies showed an association with a greater number of nutrient intake deficiencies. Allergen avoidance is the basic treatment for atopic dermatitis. However, when the allergen is food, excessive restriction can lead to nutrition deficiency. Findings of this study suggest the necessity for enhanced nutritional education in order to provide substitute foods for patients with food allergies who practice food restriction.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.521-531
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• 2016

This study was conducted to measure the prevalence of food allergies among kindergarten and elementary school children and their parents' perceptions of the Food Allergen Labeling System in school food service (FALSSFS). The surveys were conducted by the parents of children in Yangsan-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. According to the results, the prevalence of food allergies among the children was 21.9% (current group 8.1% and experienced group 13.8%). The features of the food allergy of the children were as follows : The onset time of allergy was at 1-2 years for 59 children (40.7%), at 3-4 years for 41 children (28.3%), and the main symptoms of allergy were 'rash and skin hives' (47.1%) and 'itching' (30.2%). In terms of the family history, the prevalence of allergies among the mothers was the highest with a value of 31.9%. The allergenic foods were egg (14.7%), pork (11.6%), and milk (8.9%) in the order. Most of the parents had a low perception of the FALSSFS. 26.2% of the parents requested preventive education related to food allergies at school, making this the most requested item, followed by "helping students understand students with food allergies" with a value of 20.2%. The benefit of the FALSSFS was to increase the safety of school food and promote the emotional health of children with allergies.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.14-24
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of food allergies and find out food allergens. Methods: Questionnaires were completed by 2,415 subjects in D city, among whom 452 subjects believed that they had food allergy. Skin prick tests were performed on these subjects. The data were analyzed using SAS Version 9.0 and ${\chi}^2$-test. In addition, several recent studies were reviewed. Results: The prevalence rate of food allergic symptoms was 25.6% in males and 25.8% in females, respectively. The positive rate of skin prick tests among those who were allergic to any of 14 food items was 21.4% in males and 14.7% in females(p=0.018). Therefore, it was estimated that the prevalence rate of food allergy was 5.0% in males and 3.6% in females. It was shown that the major food allergens were hop, shrimp, lobster, oyster and egg(whole) in males, and egg(whole), hop, oyster, and pork in females, respectively. The prevalence in recent studies ranged from 1 to 35%. Major food allergens were milk, egg, nuts, fish, shellfish crustacean and fruits/vegetables. Conclusions: In order to provide effective care for food allergy, it is essential to find out the prevalence of food allergies and food allergens.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.429-435
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• 2012

Atopic dermatitis (AD) has become a serious epidemic in Korean children. We aimed to investigate the association between vitamin C, E and other nutrients, and serum total IgE/specific IgE levels in children with AD. A total of 119 children (0-24 mo) diagnosed with AD were recruited for this cross-sectional study from a medical center in Seoul. A 24 h recall was used to assess dietary intakes. Serum total and six food-allergen specific IgE levels were measured by CAP-FEIA. Serum vitamin E was also measured but only in 25 out of the total 119 participants. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to estimate the coefficients between serum IgE levels and dietary intake as well as serum vitamin E. Serum vitamin E levels showed a significantly inverse association with serum total IgE and all specific IgE levels (P < 0.05). Fat intake was inversely related with specific-IgEs for egg whites, milk, buck wheat, soy, and peanuts (P < 0.05). Positive associations were found between carbohydrate (CHO) intake and total IgE and specific IgEs to egg whites, milk, soy, and peanuts (P < 0.05). Vitamin C, E and n-3/n-6 fatty acids were not related with serum total IgE and specific IgE levels except for the association between buck wheat and vitamin E. In addition, there were no significant differences between males and females in dietary intake and serum IgE levels by student's t-test. Although dietary vitamin E showed no association with serum IgE levels, serum vitamin E drew a significant inverse relationship with serum IgE levels. The evidence seems to suggest that vitamin E may possibly lower total and specific-IgEs in children with AD, and that it is important to maintain a relatively high serum vitamin E level in children with AD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.298-304
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• 2006

Purpose : We compared the asthma predictive index(API) and the modified asthma predictive index (mAPI) of the Tuscon Children's Respiratory Study Group in Korean children with recurrent wheezing. We investigated the atopic profiles and presence of allergen sensitization of each risk group, and ascertained the significant clinical risk factors. Methods : Two hundred and sixty two children, who visited for recurrent wheezing from 1998 to 2005, were enrolled and divided into groups by API and mAPI. We investigated the history of the patients and their families, atopic profiles, and sensitization to aeroallergen and food allergens. Twenty nine children were followed up to 6 years of age and we evaluated the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive value of both indices. Results : The high risk group of API were of older age, were more likely to be sensitized to aeroallergen(P=0.001) and food allergen(P=0.034) and had higher levels of total eosinophil count, eosinophil percent, serum ECP, total IgE, and D.p-, D.f-specific IgE. High risk group of mAPI showed higher levels of atopic markers such as egg-, milk-, D.p- and D.f-specific IgE. Even though API did not include allergen sensitization, the high risk group was more significantly sensitized to common allergens than the low risk group. Twenty nine children were followed up until 6 years of age; therefore 15 children were diagnosed as asthma, clinically. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of mAPI were higher than API. Conclusion : Both high risk groups of API and mAPI had higher levels of atopic markers and were more sensitized to common allergens. These findings suggest that sensitization to aeroallergens and food allergens are more objective markers as asthma predictive indices. In addition, mAPI is a more reliable index in predicting asthma in Korean children with recurrent wheezing than is API. But only 29 patients were followed until the age of 6, so we need to include more children with long term follow up for future study.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2009

The prevalence of food allergies was investigated using questionnaires with 300 subjects whose ages ranged from 19 to 24 years old and the causative food allergens was analyzed using immunological analysis with serum of the subjects who answered that they have/had food allergy. The questionnaire showed that 11.33% of subjects have/had experience of food hypersensitivity, where the main causative foods were fish, beef, chicken, milk, egg, and pork in order. The meat allergy shared 4.65% (2.33% for beef, 1.66% for chicken, 0.66% for pork) in the prevalence of food allergies. The causative beef allergens were investigated with the serum of 6 subjects who have had beef allergy. Western blots were carried out with the serum of P6 subject who showed a positive reaction to beef extract in ELISA. The two specific bands were detected in beef extract on the PVDF membrane, and no band was detected in extracts of pork and chicken. A calculation of the distance of migration by SDS-PAGE enabled the molecular masses of the two bands to be estimated as 67kDa and 31kDa, respectively. The 67kDa was revealed as bovine serum albumin (BSA) which is one of the important beef allergens as reported previously though an analysis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence. However we could not identify the sequence of 31kDa, probably because they comprised several subunits and were modified proteins such as glycoprotein that were unlikely to be easily degraded by the Edman method. The 31kDa band were dyed with the PAS (periodic acid-schiff reagent), suggesting that it might be a glycoprotein. These results suggested that the 31kDa might be considered as a novel potential beef allergen which is not reported previously, although further studies are needed.