Jamie L Fierstein1, Dannielle Brown1, Ruchi Gupta2, Lucy Bilaver1. 1. Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill. 2. Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill; Department of Academic General Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Ill. Electronic address: R-gupta@northwestern.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have focused on unintentional food-related allergic reactions, few have explored the motivation of intentional exposure to a known food allergen, independent of oral food challenges and/or oral immunotherapy. Still, data on the frequency and context of food-related allergic reactions remain sparse. OBJECTIVE: To identify the frequency and context of food-related allergic reactions among children and adults. METHODS: We analyzed surveys from the Patient Registry established by Food Allergy Research and Education. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated characteristics associated with having frequent food-related allergic reactions as well as intentional food-related allergic reactions. RESULTS: Over one-third of 4075 (37.7%) respondents reported having more than 1 food-related allergic reaction per year, and 12.8% reported having 1 reaction per year. Of the 3054 respondents who completed the most recent reaction survey, 9.9% of food allergen exposures were classified as intentional, 82.1% as unintentional, and 4.8% as medically related. Among children with intentional exposures, the most common reason was that the child had never had a serious reaction (50.0%), and among adults, it was the decision to take the risk anyway (47.8%). Cross-contamination was the most commonly cited reason for unintentional exposure (children: 24.1%; adults: 32.2%). CONCLUSION: Among patients in a national food allergy registry, reports of food-related allergic reactions were common, and a non-negligible number of intentional reactions were reported. Our findings indicate the need for research on reactions in and out of the emergency department as well as intentional risk-taking behavior.
BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have focused on unintentional food-related allergic reactions, few have explored the motivation of intentional exposure to a known food allergen, independent of oral food challenges and/or oral immunotherapy. Still, data on the frequency and context of food-related allergic reactions remain sparse. OBJECTIVE: To identify the frequency and context of food-related allergic reactions among children and adults. METHODS: We analyzed surveys from the Patient Registry established by Food Allergy Research and Education. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated characteristics associated with having frequent food-related allergic reactions as well as intentional food-related allergic reactions. RESULTS: Over one-third of 4075 (37.7%) respondents reported having more than 1 food-related allergic reaction per year, and 12.8% reported having 1 reaction per year. Of the 3054 respondents who completed the most recent reaction survey, 9.9% of food allergen exposures were classified as intentional, 82.1% as unintentional, and 4.8% as medically related. Among children with intentional exposures, the most common reason was that the child had never had a serious reaction (50.0%), and among adults, it was the decision to take the risk anyway (47.8%). Cross-contamination was the most commonly cited reason for unintentional exposure (children: 24.1%; adults: 32.2%). CONCLUSION: Among patients in a national food allergy registry, reports of food-related allergic reactions were common, and a non-negligible number of intentional reactions were reported. Our findings indicate the need for research on reactions in and out of the emergency department as well as intentional risk-taking behavior.
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