The impact of oral food challenge tests on food allergy health-related quality of life

Food allergy health-related quality of life (FAQOL) has been shown to improve after food challenge, but it is unknown whether this improvement is attributed to the procedure itself. Using the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form, we assessed FAQOL changes over time for children who underwent food challenges in the only paediatric allergy clinic in Ireland. Of 54 children who had a food challenge between September 2012 and February 2013, 25 were positive (allergic) and 29 were negative (nonallergic). FAQOL improved significantly from 2 months prechallenge to 2 months postchallenge for both groups, but began to decrease at 6 months postchallenge in allergic patients. Our findings confirm the positive therapeutic effect of the food challenge on FAQOL; however, the effect appears to wane between 2 and 6 months postchallenge in those confirmed food-allergic, highlighting the importance of regular contact with families of food-allergic children after the food challenge.