Self-reported Food Hypersensitivity in Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania and Russia

Nils E Eriksson, MD¹, Christian Möller, MD², Sonja Werner, MD³, Jenny Magnusson, BSc⁴ Ulf Bengtsson, MD^4,and Marius Zolubas, MD⁵

¹Lung & Allergy Clinic, County Hospital, Halmstad, Sweden ²Dept of Clinical Sciences, Paediatrics, Umeå, Sweden ³Allergy Clinic, Heart and Lung Division, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden ⁴Asthma and Allergy Research Group, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden ⁵Seamen’s hospital, Klaipeda, Lithuania

Besides the authors, the following clinical investigators participated in the study:

Alexandra Baskakova and Natalia Buldakova, Kostroma Dept. Health Care, Kostroma , Russia, Audra Blaziene, Clinic of Pulmonology and Allergology, Vilnius, Lithuania, Galina I Tsyvkina, Centre for Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Vladivostok, Russia, Laima Dauksiene, Paediatric Clinic, Shiaulai State Hospital, Shiauliai, Lithuania, Lea Praks and Margret Savisaar, Tartu University Lung Hospital, Tartu, Estonia, Ljudmilla Raudla, Läsnamäe Tervisekeskus, Tallinn, Estonia, Margareta Söderberg, Lung and Allergy Clinic, Norrlands University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden, Ronald Dahl, Dept. of Pulmonology, Aarhus hospital, Aarhus, Denmark, Ruta Dubakiene, Allergy Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania, Sten Lindgren, Lung and Allergy Dept., Medicine Clinic, Borås Hospital, Borås, Sweden, Tony Foucard, Dept. of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden, Vera Nepomniastich and Olga Kruleeva, Inst. of Clin. Immunology, Novosibirsk, Russia.

Abstract

Aim. The main aim of the study was to describe the differences between some Northern countries regarding which foods that, according to the patients, elicit hypersensitivity symptoms.

Methods. At the participating clinics, patients with a history of food hypersensitivity (n=1139) were asked to fill in a questionnaire in which 86 different foodstuffs were listed. SPT was performed with common inhalant allergens.

Results. The foods that were reported to elicit symptoms differed between the countries. In Russia, Estonia and Lithuania, citrus fruits, chocolate, honey, apple, hazelnut, strawberry, fish, tomato, egg and milk were most often reported as causes of hypersensitivity. In Sweden and Denmark, birch pollen (BP) related foods, such as nuts, apple, pear, kiwi, stone fruits and carrot were most common. In all countries children, more often than adults, gave symptoms of allergic reactions to citrus fruits, tomato, strawberry, milk, egg and fish. Most patients (95 %) reported hypersensitivity against several foodstuffs (median eight foods). The most common symptoms were the oral allergy syndrome and urticaria. Severe symptoms were most common with fish, shellfish, nuts and milk. Slight symptoms were most common with rice, coriander, poppy seed, lingonberry, corn, caraway, red currant and fig. Earlier well known correlations as that between BP sensitization and some fruits and vegetables as well as that between mugwort and some spices, were corroborated. Positive correlations were found between self-reported hypersensitivity against crustaceans and SPT with horse. A negative correlation was seen between hypersensitivity against crustaceans and SPT with BP.

Conclusions. The foodstuffs, which often are reported to cause food hypersensitivity, differ between Sweden/Denmark on one side and the Baltic States and Russia on the other. BP related foods dominate in Scandinavia whereas some mugwort related foods are of more importance in Russia and the Baltic States.

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