Maria Crain

Food allergen panel testing often results in misdiagnosis of food allergy

OBJECTIVE To determine the utility of food allergy panel testing among patients referred to a pediatric food allergy center. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective chart review of all new patients seen between September 2011 and December 2012 by 1 provider in a tertiary referral pediatric food allergy center. A cost analysis was performed to calculate the estimated cost of evaluation for patients who have received a food allergy panel. RESULTS Of 797 new patient encounters, 284 (35%) patients had received a food allergy panel. Only 90 (32.8%) individuals had a history warranting evaluation for food allergy; 126 individuals were avoiding a food based on recommendations from the referring provider and 112 (88.9%) were able to re-introduce at least 1 food into their diet. The positive predictive value of food allergy panel testing in this unselected population was 2.2%. The estimated cost of evaluation for this population was

Managing Pediatric Food Allergies

79,412. CONCLUSIONS Food allergy panel testing often results in misdiagnosis of food allergy, overly restrictive dietary avoidance, and an unnecessary economic burden on the health system.

Tolerance of a high-protein baked-egg product in egg-allergic children

Food allergies are increasing in the pediatric population. A review of the literature suggests that clinicians may lack knowledge about food allergy. Avoidance is currently the standard of care. As...