Risk factors predisposing children to food allergies

Background: Food allergies are the most common cause of anaphylaxis in children, and their incidence is increasing globally. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors leading to food allergies in childhood. Methods: Children with food allergies and non-atopic healthy children were compared using a questionnaire that included prenatal, neonatal, and postnatal risk factors. Results: A total of 314 subjects, 155 patients and 159 healthy children for the control group, were enrolled in the study. The median age of patients with a food allergy at diagnosis was 6 months (1–156 months), and 71 patients (45.8%) were males. The median age of the control group was 12 months (1–61 months), and 67.0% were males. Older maternal age (P = 0.023), birth by caesarean section (P = 0.001), birth in the summer or autumn (P = 0.011), crowded housing (P = 0.001), damp houses (P = 0.001), being fed with breast milk and complementary food (P = 0.001), use of synthetic bedding (P = 0.024), and being the oldest child in the family (P = 0.001) were the considered risk factors for an immunoglobulin-E (IgE)-mediated food allergy. A low frequency of yoghurt consumption by mother (P = 0.001) and use of wool bedding (P = 0.018) were identified as risk factors for non-IgE-mediated food allergies. Low socioeconomic status (P = 0.001) played a protective role against both IgE- and non-IgE-mediated food allergies whereas breastfeeding played a protective role against IgE-mediated food allergies (P = 0.030). Conclusion: The most important aspect of this study was that it separately identified prenatal, neonatal, and postnatal risk factors for IgE- and non-IgE-mediated food allergies (AU)

Prevalence of atopic diseases in children with papular urticaria

BACKGROUND: Papular urticaria is a hypersensitivity reaction characterized by chronic and recurrent papular erythema. It occurs as a result of the bites of mosquitoes, fleas, bed bugs, and other insects; and it is generally seen in children. This study examines the prevalence of atopic diseases in patients with papular urticaria. METHODS: The medical records of 130 pediatric patients with the diagnosis of papular urticaria between August 2017 and August 2019, whose disease progression was followed in two ter­tiary care centers, were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: under 5 and above 5 years old. The prevalence of the atopic disease in children with papular urticaria was compared with those in age-matched controls without papular urticaria. RESULTS: The study included 130 patients who were diagnosed with papular urticaria (64 males, 66 females, median age: 60 months). The prevalences of atopic disease, recurrent wheezing, and atopic dermatitis were higher in the group under 5 years old with papular urticaria than in the same-age control group (p = 0.001, 0.002, and 0.001, respectively). The prevalences of atopic disease, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis were higher in the group above 5 years old with papular urticaria than in the same-age control group (p = 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, and 0.007, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Many children with papular urticaria are atopic children. These patients should be assessed not only in terms of papular urticaria but also in terms of comorbid atopic diseases

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