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Time to symptom improvement using elimination diets in non‐Ig E ‐mediated gastrointestinal food allergies
Author(s) -
Lozinsky Adriana Chebar,
Meyer Rosan,
De Koker Claire,
Dziubak Robert,
Godwin Heather,
Reeve Kate,
Dominguez Ortega Gloria,
Shah Neil
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
pediatric allergy and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.269
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1399-3038
pISSN - 0905-6157
DOI - 10.1111/pai.12404
Subject(s) - medicine , elimination diet , allergy , food allergy , immunoglobulin e , observational study , oral food challenge , prospective cohort study , pediatrics , immunology , antibody
Background The prevalence of food allergy has increased in recent decades, and there is paucity of data on time to symptom improvement using elimination diets in non‐Immunoglobulin E (IgE)‐mediated food allergies. We therefore aimed to assess the time required to improvement of symptoms using a symptom questionnaire for children with non‐IgE‐mediated food allergies on an elimination diet. Methods A prospective observational study was performed on patients with non‐IgE‐mediated gastrointestinal food allergies on an elimination diet, who completed a questionnaire that includes nine evidence‐based food allergic symptoms before and after the exclusion diet. The questionnaire measured symptoms individually from 0 (no symptom) to 5 (most severe) and collectively from 0 to 45. Children were only enrolled in the study if collectively symptoms improved with the dietary elimination within 4 or 8 weeks. Results Data from 131 patients were analysed including 90 boys with a median age of 21 months [ IQR : 7 to 66]. Based on the symptom questionnaire, 129 patients (98.4%) improved after 4‐week elimination diet and only two patients improved after 8 weeks. A statistically significant difference before and after commencing the elimination diet was seen in all nine recorded symptoms (all p < 0.001), and in the median of overall score (p < 0.001). Conclusion This is the first study attempting to establish time to improve after commencing the diet elimination. Almost all children in this study improved within 4 weeks of following the elimination diet, under dietary supervision.