IgE food Sensitization in infants with eczema attending a dermatology department

Objectives Because community-based studies, which report IgE food sensitization (IgE-FS) in more than 80% of infants with moderate atopic eczema, may be influenced by referral bias, we assessed the prevalence of IgE-FS in a cohort of infants with moderate atopic eczema attending a dermatology department clinic. Study design Consecutive infants (n = 51, 39 males; median age, 34 weeks; range, 20 to 51 weeks) with moderate atopic eczema referred to a university-affiliated dermatology department were studied prospectively. Clinical history and eczema severity were documented. IgE-FS was assessed by the skin prick test (SPT; n = 51) and food-specific serum IgE antibodies (CAP-FEIA test; n = 41). IgE-FS was diagnosed if die SPT or CAP-FM level exceeded the > 95% predictive reference cutoff for positive food challenges. Results Based on SPT, 44 of 51 infants (86%; 95% confidence interval [Cl] = 74% to 94%) had IgE-FS (cow's milk, 16%, egg, 73%; peanut, 51%). Using age-specific 95%-predictive cutoff values, CAP-FEIA identified 34 of 41 infants (83%; 95% Cl = 68% to 93%) with IgE-FS (cow's milk, 23%; egg, 80%). Forty-six (90%) infants had IgE-FS to at least I food item by either SPT or CAP-FEIA. Conclusions Atopic eczema was found to be closely associated with lgE-FS in infants attending a dermatology department.