Food Allergies (Quiz 2) Flashcards
Patients with diagnosed allergies should have one EpiPen cartridge
with them at all times T/F
False: TWO
Allergies to peanuts and shellfish are usually outgrown T/F
False
Allergies can never improve or be outgrown T/F
False
Antihistamines can abort an anaphylactic allergic reaction T/F
False
An allergy diagnosis is considered a disability and schools are
responsible for 504 plan needs T/F
True
Patients with eczema are more likely to have food allergies T/F
True
Primary care providers should diagnose food allergies T/F
False
How common are allergies?
- •5% of children under the age of 5 years
- •4% of teens and adults, on the increase
- •More than 300,000 ambulatory-care visits per year for children <18
- •Black and Asian children higher odds; lower odds of being diagnosed
Definitions: food allergy, food allergens, cross reactivity
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- Food allergy: Adverse health effect due to immune response from exposure to certain food
- Food allergens: Specific components of food (typically proteins) that are recognized by allergen-specific immune cells and elicit immune reaction
- Cross reactivity: When an antibody reacts not only with the original allergen but also with a similar allergen
Immune mediated vs non-immune mediated food reactions
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There are different types of reactions to food. However, in order to be a food allergy, it must be immune mediated. Lactose intolerance is not immune mediated, therefore, it is not a food allergy.
Why is it important to ID IgE mediated vs non IgE mediated reactions?
+ examples of non-IgE FAs
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- The main distinction in food allergies is between allergies caused by IgE mechanisms and food allergies caused by other mechanisms. This is important because IgE mediated reactions can progress to anaphylaxis and must be identified and managed
- Some examples of non-IgE or cell mediated food allergies:
- Eosinophilic GI disorders
- Dietary protein-induced disorders
- Celiac disease
- Atopic dermatitis
Relationship Between Gut and Food Allergies
- Oral tolerance: immune unresponsiveness to harmless antigens
- Disruption of GI mucosal immune system alters normal state of oral tolerance
- Breakdown of oral tolerance–>food allergy
Pathophysiology of an allergic reaction
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Common food allergies in children vs teens and adults
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- ●These account for 90% of food allergy reactions
- ●Common food allergies in children are milk, egg, wheat and soy allergies and they often resolve in childhood
- ●Peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish allergies can resolve, but are more likely to persist
- ●The time course of FA resolution in children varies by food and may occur as late as the teenage years. A high initial level of sIgE against a food is associated with a lower rate of resolution of clinical allergy over time.
Prevalence of allergies by age
peanut / shellfish / tree nut / milk / egg / wheat
Cross reactivity chart
Important HPI Qs for food allergies
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- What are the symptoms?
- What food caused the symptoms?
- Reaction to this food in the past?
- What quantity of food was ingested?
- Was the food baked or uncooked?
- How soon after eating the food did you experience symptoms?
- Were other factors involved such as exercise, alcohol, or aspirin/NSAIDS?
- What treatment was used?
- How long did the symptoms last?
- Timing: IgE mediated reactions occur rapidly after ingestion. Uncommonly, reactions up to two hours and beyond can also occur*
- It is more likely for a food that is rarely eaten to trigger an acute allergic reaction rather than a food that is a frequently eaten*
- If a child has a reaction to a meal that was previously tolerated, think about whether or not the food was contaminated*
- IgE reactions can be triggered by small amounts of food proteins. Threshold doses required to trigger a reaction vary*
- Some medications increase the rate of allergen absorption*
- Exercise induced anaphylaxis in adults*
- Reaction to food in the past?-severity of reaction is unpredictable*
Symptoms of food allergy
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- combo of: nausea, vomiting, cramping, diarrhea, flushing, pruritis, urticaria, swelling of the lips/face/throat, wheezing, lightheadedness, syncope.
- A patient may present with one or two of these symptoms or more. In children a classic presentation is vomiting and urticaria