[Role of food in atopic eczema].

Some new aspects of adverse reactions to food are reviewed. People quite often blame food for the development of allergic symptoms. These true reactions can be divided into three groups: Immunological (food allergy--type I-IV reactions), non-immunological (intolerance--result of non-immunologic mechanisms) and toxic/biochemical reactions. The patterns of adverse food reactions are age dependent, especially allergy to cow's milk, hen's egg-white and soya, and symptoms appear most frequently in children under three years of age. 10-20% of children report adverse reactions to food, but only 3-5% have IgE-mediated reactions. In children with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis as many as 30% are reported to have food allergies. In adults, it is believed that 3-12% may have some kind of adverse reaction to specific foods, but only 1-2% have food allergy. The most common symptoms of adverse food reactions appear in the skin and in the gastrointestinal tract, but respiratory symptoms are also observed. Once food allergy has been proven conclusively the identified food should be totally eliminated from the diet. If important foods are eliminated the patient's sensitivity should be reevaluated again after a time.