PMID- 30402401
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
LR  - 20220330
IS  - 2233-8276 (Print)
IS  - 2233-8268 (Electronic)
IS  - 2233-8276 (Linking)
VI  - 8
IP  - 4
DP  - 2018 Oct
TI  - Growth of children with food allergies in Singapore.
PG  - e34
LID - 10.5415/apallergy.2018.8.e34 [doi]
LID - e34
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although it is known that children with food allergies are at risk of 
      impaired growth, this has not been well studied in South-East Asia. OBJECTIVE: 
      The aim of this cross-sectional study is to survey the growth of children with 
      food allergies in Singapore and the factors impacting it. METHODS: Anthropometric 
      data, demographic data, type of food allergy, foods eliminated, and atopic 
      comorbidities were recorded. Malnutrition was defined using World Health 
      Organization standards (</=-2 z-score for weight-for-height [WH], weight-for-age 
      [WA], and height-for-age [HA]). RESULTS: Seventy-four patients (51% male) were 
      recruited over 1 month, with median age at diagnosis of 8 months (interquartile 
      range [IQR], 4-13 months) and at data collection of 25 months (IQR, 14-48 
      months). Sixty-two (84%) had IgE-mediated allergy, 8 (11%) mixed IgE and non-IgE, 
      and 4 (5%) non-IgE-mediated allergy. Food exclusions: 55% one food, 27% two 
      foods, 8% three to four foods, and 10% >/=5 foods. Only 1% were underweight (WA </= 
      -2 z-score) and 3% had WA >/= +2 z-score. Having a mixed type food allergy 
      significantly reduced WA (p = 0.023). WA was significantly lower for those 
      referred to the dietitian (p = 0.027). 5.4% were stunted (HA </= -2 z-score). 
      Factors significantly associated with stunting were underlying eczema (p = 0.03) 
      and having an IgE-mediated (p = 0.03) or mixed type food allergy (p = 0.002). One 
      point four percent (1.4%) were undernourished (WH </= -2 z-score) and 1.4% were 
      overweight (WH >/= +2 z-score). Multivariate regression analysis found that 
      children with mixed type food allergies were significantly shorter (z-score -1 
      lower). Children had a lower WA if they had skin involvement as part of their 
      symptom presentation. CONCLUSION: This is the first survey documenting growth in 
      children with food allergy in Singapore. Eczema, IgE-mediated and mixed type 
      allergies are associated with poorer growth rates in these children. Early, 
      individualised nutritional intervention is recommended for all children with food 
      allergy.
FAU - Chong, Kok Wee
AU  - Chong KW
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-6530-6348
AD  - Allergy Service, Department of Paediatric Medicine, KK Women's and Children's 
      Hospital, Singapore 229899.
FAU - Wright, Karen
AU  - Wright K
AD  - Allergy Service, Department of Paediatric Medicine, KK Women's and Children's 
      Hospital, Singapore 229899.
FAU - Goh, Anne
AU  - Goh A
AD  - Allergy Service, Department of Paediatric Medicine, KK Women's and Children's 
      Hospital, Singapore 229899.
FAU - Meyer, Rosan
AU  - Meyer R
AD  - Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom.
FAU - Rao, Rajeshwar
AU  - Rao R
AD  - Allergy Service, Department of Paediatric Medicine, KK Women's and Children's 
      Hospital, Singapore 229899.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20181011
PL  - Netherlands
TA  - Asia Pac Allergy
JT  - Asia Pacific allergy
JID - 101561954
PMC - PMC6209600
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - Child
OT  - Food allergy
OT  - Food elimination
OT  - Growth
OT  - Singapore
EDAT- 2018/11/08 06:00
MHDA- 2018/11/08 06:01
PMCR- 2018/10/01
CRDT- 2018/11/08 06:00
PHST- 2018/09/19 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2018/12/12 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2018/11/08 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2018/11/08 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2018/11/08 06:01 [medline]
PHST- 2018/10/01 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 10.5415/apallergy.2018.8.e34 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - Asia Pac Allergy. 2018 Oct 11;8(4):e34. doi: 10.5415/apallergy.2018.8.e34. 
      eCollection 2018 Oct.