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Aim: The main
aim of the study was
to describe the
differences between
some Northern
countries regarding
what foods,
according to the
patients, elicit
hypersensitivity
symptoms.
Methods: At
the participating
clinics, patients
with a history of
food
hypersensitivity (n
= 1139) were asked
to fill in a
questionnaire in
which 86 different
foodstuffs were
listed. Skin-prick
tests (SPT) were
performed with
common inhalant
allergens.
Results: The
foods that were
reported as
eliciting symptoms
differed between
countries. In Russia,
Estonia, and
Lithuania; citrus
fruits, chocolate,
honey, apple,
hazelnut, strawberry,
fish, tomato, egg,
and milk were most
often reported as
causes of
hypersensitivity. In
Sweden and Denmark;
birch pollen (BP)
related foods, such
as nuts, apple, pear,
kiwi, stone fruits,
and carrot were the
most common causes.
In all countries,
children, more often
than adults, had
symptoms of allergic
reaction to citrus
fruits, tomato,
strawberry, milk,
egg, and fish. Most
patients (95%)
reported
hypersensitivity to
several foodstuffs
(median: eight foods).
The most common
symptoms were oral
allergy syndrome and
urticaria. Severe
symptoms were most
common with fish,
shellfish, nuts, and
milk. Slight
symptoms were most
common with rice,
coriander, poppy
seed, lingonberry,
corn, caraway, red
currant, and fig.
Earlier well-known
correlations,
such as that between
BP sensitization and
some fruits and
vegetables, as well
as that between
mugwort and some
spices, were
corroborated.
Positive
correlations were
found between self-reported
hypersensitivity to
crustaceans and SPT
with horse. A
negative correlation
was seen between
hypersensitivity to
crustaceans and SPT
with BP.
Conclusions: The
foodstuffs that
often are reported
to cause food
hypersensitivity,
differ between
Sweden/Denmark on
one side and the
Baltic States and
Russia on the other.
BP-related foods
dominate in
Scandinavia, whereas
some mugwort-related
foods are of more
importance in Russia
and the Baltic
States.
Keywords:
allergy, East Europe,
cross-reactions,
epidemiology, food
allergy, food
hypersensitivity,
Northern countries,
questionnaire |
