Intrinsic Atopic Dermatitis: Titration of Precipitins in the Screening of Food Allergens for Prescription of Elimination Diets and Desensitization Strategies

Abstract

Background: The diagnosis of non-IgE mediated food allergies may be a complex puzzle when there is no start point to establish an elimination diet to allow a clear clinical field to initiate diagnostic Oral Food Challenges tests.
 Objective: To evaluate the opportunity of the tube titration of precipitins to select food allergens to proceed with elimination diets to assist the diagnosis and management of adult patients with Food Allergy manifested as Intrinsic Atopic Dermatitis (IAD).
 Methods: The tube titration of specific precipitins against anamnesis-chosen food allergens were performed in 64 IAD patients and their titers were associated with an Improvement Verbal Scale Rate (IVSR) of the patient’s perception of the benefits of the Precipitins-based Elimination Diet (PED) performed with these specific food allergens, as well correlated with their positive or negative perception of the impairment of symptoms after the reintroduction of the Symptom-Related Food Allergen (SRFA).
 Results: In most cases, the PED contributed to a significant clinical improvement that allowed the patients to evaluate the individual effect of the reintroduction of each food allergen on their diets. There was a significant positive correlation coefficient between the titers of the food-specific titration of precipitins and the percentage of positive SRFA (Pearson r = 0.91; p-value = 0.0004). 
 Conclusion: The semiquantitative titration of specific precipitins against food allergens is a promising triage test to select food allergens to proceed with elimination diets to support the diagnosis and management of non-IgE mediated Food Allergy in patients with Intrinsic Atopic Dermatitis.