Growth Parameters Impairment in Patients with Food Allergies. (15th May 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Costa, Larissa Carvalho; Rezende, Erica Rodrigues; Segundo, Gesmar Rodrigues Silva
• Other Names: Leung Ting Fan Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of allergy. Volume 2014(2014)
• Publication Date: 2014-05-15
• Subjects: Allergy -- Periodicals; Immunologic diseases -- Periodicals; Allergy and Immunology; Hypersensitivity; Immune System Diseases; Allergy; Immunologic diseases; Electronic journals; Periodical; Periodicals; 616.97
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/980735
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1687-9783

Abstract

Abstract : Background and Aims. Food allergy (FA) is a common disease that is rapidly increasing in prevalence for reasons that remain unknown. Objective. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and anthropometric data of patients with food allergies followed in a tertiary centre of allergy and immunology. Methods. A retrospective study was performed that assessed the data records of patients with food allergy diagnosis, covering a period from February 2009 to February 2012. Results. 354 patients were evaluated in the period; 228 (69.1%) patients had a confirmed FA diagnosis. Thez -scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age, and body mass indices-for-age showed lower significant values in the FA group compared with the non-FA group by Mann-Whitney test, with significance values ofP = 0.0005, P = 0.0030, andP = 0.0066, respectively. There were no statistical differences in sex, gestational age, birth type, breastfeeding period, and age of introduction of complementary formulas based on cow milk protein between groups. Conclusion. FA patients had a lower growth rate in comparison with patients without FA. The early recognition of food allergies with the establishment of protein-implicated diet exclusion, in association with an adequate nutrient replenishment, is important to reduce the nutritional impact of food allergies.