Skin reactions to foods in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Thirty-seven patients with moderate or severe persistent atopic dermatitis gave a history of skin reactions following the ingestion of certain foods. These reactions fell into three groups: immediate reactions (within one hour) which included angio-oedema, contact urticaria, generalised itching and erythema, or urticaria; late reactions, where patients experienced late urticaria, late angio-oedema, itching, or exacerbation of the dermatitis; dual reactions where immediate reactions were followed by exacerbation of the atopic dermatitis. The foods implicated were either potential allergens or recognised nonimmunological histamine-release agents. Foods which caused an IgE-mediated reaction tended to produce early or dual reactions whereas histamine releasing foods tended to result in late reactions.