• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.55 no.5
• /
• pp.153-158
• /
• 2012

Food allergy is an important public health problem affecting 5% of infants and children in Korea. Food allergy is defined as an immune response triggered by food proteins. Food allergy is highly associated with atopic dermatitis and is one of the most common triggers of potentially fatal anaphylaxis in the community. Sensitization to food allergens can occur in the gastrointestinal tract (class 1 food allergy) or as a consequence of cross reactivity to structurally homologous inhalant allergens (class 2 food allergy). Allergenicity of food is largely determined by structural aspects, including cross-reactivity and reduced or enhanced allergenicity with cooking that convey allergenic characteristics to food. Management of food allergy currently focuses on dietary avoidance of the offending foods, prompt recognition and treatment of allergic reactions, and nutritional support. This review includes definitions and examines the prevalence and management of food allergies and the characteristics of food allergens.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.30-44
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study were to identify seasons variation of house dust mites allergen and perceived allergic symptom. The subjects were consisted of 29 family with allergy patients and 34 family without allergy patients. Perceived allergic symptoms were accessed and house dust was sampled from beds, floor of bedroom, kitchen and livingroom in spring(August), summer (July), fall(October) and winter(January) and tested using two-site ELISA. The results were as follows; 1) In all family, amount of house dust mites allergen(Der fI) of livingroom floor was the highest in summer$(4.73{\mu}g/1g\;of\;dust)$, and then fall$4.67{\mu}g/1g\;of\;dust)$, winter$(3.94{\mu}g/1g\;of\;dust)$, spring$(1.73{\mu}g/1g\;of\;dust)$. 2) In family with allergy patients, amount of house dust mites allergen(Der fI) of bedroom floor was highest in fall $(9.75{\mu}g/1g\;of\;dust)$. 3) In family with allergy patients, amount of house dust mites allergen(Der fI) of mattress was highest in fall$(8.23{\mu}g/1g\;of\;dust)$. 4) Perceived allergic symptom scores of family with allergy patients were higher than family without allergy patients in all seasons. In family without allergy patients, perceived allergic symptom scores was the highest in spring(4.29) and perceived allergic symptom scores of family with patients was the highest in winter(2.49). 5) The relationship of house dust mites allergen and perceived allergic symptom scores were positively related (r=.941, p=.000). Perceived allergic symptoms were correlated with amount of house dust mites allergen, That is, perceived allergic symptoms were became worse by house dust mites allergen. So House dust mites allergen reducing strategies and intervention should be recommended in further study.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2019

Objective : An allergy to peanuts is a major cause of fatal food-induced anaphylaxis, with food allergies becoming an increasingly important health research issue. Food allergy as clinical entity has been recongnized for many years, although there is yet no general concord as to the incidence of this symptom.1) Methods : This study was undertaken to verify the effect of seeds of Canavalia gladiata (Jacq.) DC. extract (CGE) on the inhibition of allergic reactions using a cholera toxin and peanut extract-immunized food allergy mouse model. We determine whether the changes in rectal temperature were related to energy consumption owing to heat production in the body. Mast cell distribution and degranulation in the dermis and epidermis were observed with an optical microscope. Subsequently, Ara h1 levels in serum and interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and $IFN-{\gamma}$ levels in cultured supernatants of splenocytes were measured. Results : CGE treatment significantly attenuated the secretion of the Ara h1 antibody in serum and splenocytes. Ara h 1 was undetected in the cholera toxin and peanut extract-immunized food allergy mouse model. Improvement in ear tissue inflammation symptoms was the CGE experimental group. In the control group and peanut extract control group, the expression of mast cells was higher, whereas that in the CGE experimental group was significantly lower. Conclusion : CGE causes suppression in a food allergy mouse model via the inhibition of Ara h1 secretion, and might be useful for developing functional health foods.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.8-17
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study is to summarize and report on the change of food allergy in elementary school students and perception and practices in school nutritionists in Korea from 1995 to 2015. Methods: The search strategy was "(food allergy AND elementary school AND Korea) AND (nutritionist OR perception OR practice)". The search was conducted via KISS, DBPIA, RISS, NDSL, PubMed, Scopus, and Google scholar and full text and abstracts on the topic of food allergy evaluating prevalence, allergen, symptom, perception and practices were included in this review. Results: Out of 1379 records found in the sources, 13 related studies were included in the final analysis. The results showed that the number of students who had experienced food allergy was increasing. The two frequent allergenic foods were eggs and milk. The perception and practices of food allergy in school nutritionists was gradually increased. Conclusion: Further objective evaluations are required to confirm the food allergy status and its management in school.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.6-10
• /
• 2011

Many patients assume that allergic reactions against foods are responsible for triggering or worsening their allergic symptoms. Therefore, it is important to identify patients who would benefit from an elimination diet, while avoiding unnecessary dietary restrictions. The diagnosis of food allergy depends on the thorough review of the patients's medical history, results of supplemented trials of dietary elimination, and in vivo and in vitro tests for measuring specific IgE levels. However, in some cases the reliability of such procedures is suboptimal. Oral food challenges are procedures employed for making an accurate diagnosis of immediate and occasionally delayed adverse reactions to foods. The timing and type of the challenge, preparation of patients, foods to be tested, and dosing schedule should be determined on the basis of the patient's history, age, and experience. Although double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges(DBPCFC) are used to establish definitively if a food is the cause of adverse reactions, they are time-consuming, expensive and troublesome for physician and patients. In practice, An open challenge controlled by trained personnel is sufficient especially in infants and young children. The interpretation of the results and follow-up after a challenge are also important. Since theses challenges are relatively safe and informative, controlled oral food challenges could become the measure of choice in children.

• Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
• /
• v.10 no.6
• /
• pp.675-685
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study aims to determine the efficacy and safety of house dust mite (HDM)-sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in elderly patients with AR. Methods: A total of 45 patients aged ${\geq}60years$ with HDM-induced AR who had ${\geq}3$ A/H ratio on skin prick test and/or ${\geq}0.35IU/L$ to both Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus by ImmunoCAP were enrolled in 4 university hospitals. To evaluate additional effects of HDM-SLIT, they were randomized to the SLIT-treated group (n = 30) or control group (n = 15). Rhinoconjunctivitis total symptom score (RTSS), rhinoscopy score, Korean rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire, rhinitis control assessment test, asthma control test scores, and adverse reactions, were assessed at the first visit (V1) and after 1 year of treatment (V5); for immunological evaluation, serum levels of HDM-specific immunoglobulin A/IgE/IgG1/IgG4 antibodies and basophil response to HDMs were compared between V1 and V5 in both groups. Results: There were no significant differences in demographics, RTSS, skin reactivity to HDMs, or serum total/specific IgE levels to HDMs (P > 0.05, respectively) between the 2 groups. Nasal symptom score and RTSS decreased significantly at year 1 in the 2 groups (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in percent decrease in nasal symptom score and RTSS at year 1 between the 2 groups (P > 0.05); however, rhinoscopic nasal symptom score decreased significantly in the SLIT-treated group (P < 0.05). Immunological studies showed that serum specific IgA levels (not specific IgE/IgG) and CD203c expression on basophils decreased significantly at V5 in the SLIT-treated group (P = 0.011 and P = 0.001, respectively), not in the control group. The control group required more medications compared to the treatment group, but there were no differences in adverse reactions. Conclusions: It is suggested that HDM-SLIT for 1 year could induce symptom improvement and may induce immunomodulation in elderly rhinitis patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.97-106
• /
• 2020

This study aimed to evaluate dietary behaviors and food allergy status of preschool children in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan city. The survey included 592 preschool children aged 1-5 years old in 31 childcare facilities. General characteristics, feeding type, complementary feeding, food allergy, dietary behaviors based on the NQ-P questionnaire, and dietary habits of their family were considered. Exclusively breast-fed children was 32.2% of the subjects and the breast feeding duration was 6.5 months. Subjects who had complementary feeding within 6 months was 77.2% and starting time of complementary feeding was 6.1 months. Fifteen percent of the subjects had food allergies and foods that induced allergy were instant foods, eggs, milk and dairy products, nuts, seafood. Food allergy was not related to breast feeding nor complementary feeding. The NQ-P score and its 3 factors including 'balance', 'moderation', and 'environment' were 59.9, 61.1, 56.0, 62.6, respectively. There were positive relations between children's dietary behaviors and family dietary habits such as breakfast eating frequency and meal regularity. As age of children increased, instant food intake increased and breakfast eating frequency decreased. Proper nutrition education is needed to children, their parents, and their care givers at childcare facilities to improve children's dietary behavior and health.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.137-143
• /
• 2020

Traffic-related environmental factors (TREF) are a major problem in developed countries, leading to increased atopic sensitivity, allergy symptoms, and diseases. This study shows an association between traffic-related pollutants, distance of road and gas station from the children's daycare center, and allergy symptoms. Data was obtained from the 2018 survey, an ongoing allergic diseases prevalence survey for children aged 4-7 (n=1175). This survey considered 36 public daycare centers, across 6 districts in Seoul. Allergic symptoms were defined as the presence of at least 1 or more allergic diseases (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)). TREF was derived from the distance to the nearest main roads and gas stations. Geographic data processing and variable computation were conducted using ArcGIS version 10.2. The odds ratios for allergy symptoms increased by 1.189 (1.235-2.679) times with decreasing distance to main roads and by 1.846 (1.176-2.896) times with decreasing distance to a gas station. This study concludes that main roads and gas-stations near children's daycare centers are related to the allergy symptoms in children.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.675-681
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate perception of the Food Allergy Labeling System (FALS) of school foodservice in female middle school students. The subjects were 148 female middle school students in the Incheon metropolitan area. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Only 20.9% of subjects had experience of food allergy education. There was no significant difference in food allergy knowledge by grade. The scores of perception of food allergy labeling by school foodservice were significantly higher in lower grade students (p<0.001). In all grades, highest scores were observed for 'food allergy labeling is necessary', whereas the lowest scores were for 'I check the food allergy labeling'. The percentages of subjects who wanted to participate in food allergy education were significantly different (p<0.01); 73.8% in 1st grade, 50.0% in 2nd grade, and 35.7% in 3rd grade. For desired education contents to enhance perception of FALS, 57.5% of subjects answered 'emergency management' and 23.0% said 'information of food allergy causing food'. Therefore, it is necessary to increase food allergy education and educate female middle school students according to grade in order to enhance perception of FALS.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.67 no.4
• /
• pp.311-317
• /
• 2009

Background: The methacholine bronchial provocation test is a useful tool for evaluating asthma in patients with normal or near normal baseline lung function. However, the sensitivity of this test is 82~92% at most. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of $FEF_{25-75%}$ in identification of airway hyperresponsiveness in patients with suspected asthmatic symptoms. Methods: One hundred twenty-five patients who experienced cough and wheezing within one week prior to their visiting the clinic were enrolled. Results: Sixty-four subjects showed no significant reduction of $FEV_{1}$ or $FEF_{25-75%}$ on the methacholine bronchial provocation test (Group I). In 24 patients, $FEF_{25-75%}$ fell more than 20% from baseline without a 20% fall of $FEV_{1}$ during methacholine challenge (Group II). All patients who had more than 20% fall of $FEV_{1}$ (n=37) also showed more than 20% of reduction in $FEF_{25-75%}$ (Group III). Baseline $FEV_{1}$/FVC (%) and $FEF_{25-75%}$ (L) were higher in group II than group III (81.51${\pm}$1.56% vs. 75.02${\pm}$1.60%, p<0.001, 3.25${\pm}$0.21 L vs. 2.45${\pm}$0.21 L, p=0.013, respectively). Group II had greater reductions of both $FEV_{1}$ and $FEF_{25-75%}$ than group I at 25 mg/mL of methacholine (p<0.001). The provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in $FEF_{25-75%}$ in group II was about three-fold higher than that in group III. Conclusion: A 20% fall of $FEF_{25-75%}$ by methacholine provocation can be more sensitive indicator for detecting a milder form of airway hyperresponsiveness than $FEV_{1}$ criteria.