Natural history of IgE-dependent food allergy diagnosed in children during the first three years of life

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze: the course of allergy diagnosed during first three years of life, frequency of food tolerance development and impact of factors which have potential meaning in that process. Material and Methods: The study was performed in 115 children with IgE-dependent allergy, diagnosed during first three years of life, treated in 2nd Department of Pediatrics and Allergology of Polish Mothers Health Center in Lodz. All children were invited to our clinic in order to analyze course of the allergy after period of minimum 5 years since diagnosis. Results: The results of the study revealed that food tolerance was acquired by high percentage of examined children (87.9%) among 83 children with food allergy. However among 32 children with initial inhalant allergy there were still no food sensitizations. The frequency of this process increased with age of examined children. The study revealed that such factors as lack of family history of atopy, clinical manifestation limited to one system, lack of inhalant allergy, type of allergen, good social conditions, have positive impact on tolerance development. Conclusions: High percentage of children with food allergy is able to develop the status of food immunotolerance. Factors which predispose to development of food allergy have also negative impact on ability to acquiring tolerance to harmful food. The study indicates the need of constant and wide education about decreasing exposure to allergy predisposing factors which could increase chance of food tolerance development.