25 Aug Children With Food Allergies More Likely To Develop Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
David A. Hill, M.D., Ph.D.
Fellow Physician
Division of Allergy and Immunology
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3375

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and food allergies are among the most common childhood medical conditions in the United States. Importantly, disease rates for these conditions are thought to be changing, prompting the need for continued surveillance.

In our study, we examined electronic medical record data of over 1 million children to measure incidence and prevalence rates of these conditions in our community. We found that 1 in 5 children seen in our network are diagnosed with asthma, a rate that is among the highest in the nation. Additionally, the large size of our study allowed us to measure the extent to which food allergies are associated with asthma or allergic rhinitis. In this analysis, we found that children with food allergies are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop asthma or allergic rhinitis, as compared with children without food allergy.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Readers will be interested to know that allergic conditions are highly prevalent, and that asthma rates in the Philadelphia region are among the highest in the country. It is also important to note the extent to which having a food allergy is associated with developing comorbid allergic conditions.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: As this is an association study, it cannot identify mechanisms of risk. As such, further investigation is necessary to determine why the association between food and respiratory allergies exists.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:

BMC Pediatr. 2016 Aug 20;16:133. doi: 10.1186/s12887-016-0673-z.
The epidemiologic characteristics of healthcare provider-diagnosed eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and food allergy in children: a retrospective cohort study.
Hill DA1,2,3, Grundmeier RW4,5, Ram G4,6, Spergel JM4,6,7.

Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.

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Last Updated on August 25, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD