[Cutaneous reactivity to foods among patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis].

Ocular allergy could be induced by food allergy or inhaled allergens. However there are few pediatric studies about it. Our objective was to know the frequency in children who have food allergy as cause of their ocular allergy. We perform a prospective and descriptive study in 50 patients within 6 to 16 years of age during June 1996 to January 1997. Skin prick tests to food allergens and inhalants, serum IgE levels by ELISA (enzyme immunoassay), nasal and conjunctival cytology were done. Not paired student T-test, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskall-Wallis test were used for statistical analysis. We found mean of age 9.1 years +/- 2.5. Prick tests were positives to foods in 20%, 50% to inhalants and 30% to both. Food allergens seen more frequently were shellfish, tomato, rice, peanut and inhaled allergen Dermatophagoides pteronissinus. Serum IgE was elevated and ocular cytology was positive in food hypersensitivity group with significance difference (p = 0.023). In conclusion, we found a high frequency (50%) of food hypersensitivity in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.