Comparison of food allergy prevalence of food allergy in children with or without bronchial asthma in cite of China

Abstract

Objective To explore the prevalence and clinical characteristics of food allergy in bronchial asthmatic children less than 14 years old in China. Methods A case-controlled study was designed.The questionnaires were given to children, who were diagnosed to be asthmatic during the national epidemiological survey of asthma in children in 31 cities from September 2009 to August 2010.Non-asthmatic children, matched with the cases in age and gender, were selected during the same survey as control subjects if they were matched with the cases in age and sex.Information regarding the food allergen and symptom of food-induced anaphylaxis was analyzed.The difference in food allergy was compared between children with or without bronchial asthma. Results As a result, 9 235 asthmatic children and 11 391 control subjects were enrolled in the case-control study.There were 14.66%(1 354/9 235 cases) of the asthmatic children who had food allergy, compared to 3.99%(455/11 391 cases) of the non-asthmatics children, and the findings showed a significant difference (χ2=725.25, P 0.05]. The rate of peanut allergy was 4.58% (62/1 354 cases) and 1.54% (7/455 cases)(χ2=8.58, P<0.05), respectively.And the rates of fruit allergy in the asthmatic group and the non-asthmatic group were 14.03%(190/1 354 cases)and 27.69%(126/455 cases) (χ2=44.01, P<0.05), respectively.Cutaneous and nasal symptoms were common clinical manifestations.The rates of rash, pruritus, and swelling sympions were 47.27%(640/1 354 cases)and 61.32%(279/455 cases)(χ2=26.90, P<0.001), respectively for asthmatic group and non-asthmatic group.Rates of nasal symptoms were 17.13%(232/1 354 cases)and 10.55%(48/455 cases)(χ2=11.29, P=0.001), respectively in the asthmatic group and the non-asthmatic groups.Respiratory symptoms, such as cough and wheezing, were 25.33%(343/1 354 cases) and 5.49%(25/455 cases)(χ2=80.72, P<0.001)in 2 groups.Twenty cases of 1 354 asthmatic children had severe food allergy, while such severe conditions occurred only 1 child without asthma (455 cases) occurred severe condition (1.48% vs.0.22%, χ2=4.96, P<0.05). Conclusion The-rate of food allergen sensitization is highly prevalent in the children with asthma.Compared to those without asthma, and their types of food allergen and clinical symptoms are different from the latter. Key words: Child; Bronchial asthma; Food allergy; Prevalence