الفهرس 
Patient and MethodsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Food allergy is a public health problem that has increased in the last decade. Despite the increasing rates in children, quality data on the burden of these diseases is lacking particularly in developing countries. Food allergy rates vary by age, local diet, and many other factors, however eight types of food account for over 90% of allergic reactions in affected individuals: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.
Food allergy presents in different forms, including urticaria, angioedema, exacerbation of allergic rhinitis, asthma, or atopic dermatitis. Food allergic patients with asthma have a higher risk of developing life-threatening food-induced reactions and an asthmatic patient with a food allergy can have higher rates of morbidity and mortality associated with asthma
The interrelationships between allergic diseases have been explained by two concepts, namely, “allergic march” and “allergic multimorbidity”. The allergic march concept suggests a temporal progression from earlyonset eczema to asthma and rhinitis; however, the data supporting the sequential development of allergic diseases are contradictory.
Aim and methods:
The aim of work of the current study was evaluation of the prevalence and severity of food allergy among school children and its association with the presence and severity of asthma, rhinitis and skin allergies in Damanhur city. To elucidate this aim 2140 child were included in the study.
A descriptive cross-sectional study, all the children were subjected to a questionnaire which translated into Arabic; Clinical assessment, and Laboratory investigations.
The questionnaire included the following variables (Sociodemographic characteristics, History related to food allergy, Symptoms of allergic disease)
Results of the study:
This study was carried on 2140 patients, the mean age of the studied cases was 10.47±2.42 years, there was female predominance about 51.5%,55.8% of them had history of consanguinity, family history were present in 19.4%.
Allergic rhinitis was seen in 24, 48% of the studied cases. The most common symptoms were runny nose in 21%, sneezing nose in 14.3% and nasal obstruction in 11.8%. There were 78.7% of them had medications, 48.92% of them had Reaction to a special food.
Bronchial asthma was seen in 27.57% of the studied cases. The most common symptoms were cough in 14.7%, phlegm in 11.3% and wheezing in 7.5% and dyspnea in 7.6%. There were 74.8% of them had medications, 38.08% of them had Reaction to a special food
Skin allergy was seen in 50.5% of the studied cases. The most common symptoms were rash in 19.7%, itching in 15.9% and swelling in 11.07%. 92% of them had Reaction to a special food
There were 7.1% of the studied cases had food allergy and the common food allergens were fruits(mango ,strawberry ,peach) in 16.7%, vegetables(tomato ,carrot ) in 14.7%, cow’s milk in 13.3%, egg in 11.3%, chocolate in 10.7%, fish in 8% , peanut in 5.3%.
There were 53.3% of the studied cases had Urticaria/hives, itching, or flushing as skin reaction. 13.3%, 9.3%, 6% respectively had abdominal pain and or distention, diarrhea and nausea and vomiting as gastrointestinal reactions. There were 32% had wheezes and cough, 15.3% had sneezing and 13.3% had rhinorrhea/conjunctivitis as respiratory reactions.
There was high statistically significant relation in between presence of Food allergy and young age, low weight, Family history of allergy, The ventilation condition of the house, Exposure to dust and smoke (pollution).
The most common predictors of food allergy were young age, low weight, +ve consanguinity, Family history of allergy, The ventilation condition of the house, Exposure to dust and smoke (pollution), smoking, Child order and Mode of Birth