In a study of 419 patients referred to an outpatient allergy clinic for suspected food allergies, allergologists from Würzburg University found that 205 (48.9%) of these patients did not have an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy.
The researchers write: “The unfounded suspicion of an IgE-mediated food allergy can substantially impair a patient's quality of life through needless dietary restriction and the accompanying anxiety. On the other hand, an IgE-mediated food allergy that has gone undiagnosed or that has not been taken seriously can manifest suddenly with anaphylaxis, which may be lifethreatening. The present study, carried out on a large cohort of patients, underscores the importance of differentiating IgE-mediated food allergy from other, nonallergic types of food reaction.”
Source:
Deutsches Ärzteblatt International: Food Allergy in Adults: An Over- or Underrated Problem?
