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Likely questionnaire-diagnosed food allergy in 78, 890 adults from the northern Netherlands.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:It is challenging to define likely food allergy (FA) in large populations which limited the number of large studies regarding risk factors for FA. OBJECTIVE:We studied the prevalence and characteristics of self-reported FA (s-rFA) in the large, population-based Dutch Lifelines cohort and identified associated risk factors. METHODS:Likely food allergic cases (LikelyFA) were classified based on questionnaire reported characteristics consistent with FA. Subjects with atypical characteristics were classified as Indeterminate. We investigated 13 potential risk factors for LikelyFA such as birth mode and living on a farm and addressed health-related quality of life (H-RQOL). RESULTS:Of the 78, 890 subjects, 12.1% had s-rFA of which 4.0% and 8.1% were classified as LikelyFA and Indeterminate, respectively. Younger age, female sex, asthma, eczema and nasal allergy increased the risk of LikelyFA (p-value range <1.00*10-250-1.29*10-7). Living in a small city/large village or suburb during childhood was associated with a higher risk of LikelyFA than living on a farm (p-value = 7.81*10-4 and p = 4.84*10-4, respectively). Subjects classified as Indeterminate more often reported depression and burn-out compared to those without FA (p-value = 1.46*10-4 and p = 8.39*10-13, respectively). No association was found with ethnicity, (duration of) breastfeeding, birth mode and reported eating disorder. Mental and physical component scores measuring H-RQOL were lower in both those classified as LikelyFA and Indeterminate compared to those without FA. CONCLUSION:The prevalence of s-rFA among adults is considerable and one-third reports characteristics consistent with LikelyFA. Living on a farm decreased the risk of LikelyFA. The association of poorer H-RQOL as well as depression and burn-out with questionable self-perceived FA is striking and a priority for future study.

SUBMITTER: Westerlaken-van Ginkel CD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7219708 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Likely questionnaire-diagnosed food allergy in 78, 890 adults from the northern Netherlands.

Westerlaken-van Ginkel Cornelia Doriene CD Vonk Judith M JM Flokstra-de Blok Bertine M J BMJ Sprikkelman Aline B AB Koppelman Gerard H GH Dubois Anthony E J AEJ

PloS one 20200513 5

<h4>Background</h4>It is challenging to define likely food allergy (FA) in large populations which limited the number of large studies regarding risk factors for FA.<h4>Objective</h4>We studied the prevalence and characteristics of self-reported FA (s-rFA) in the large, population-based Dutch Lifelines cohort and identified associated risk factors.<h4>Methods</h4>Likely food allergic cases (LikelyFA) were classified based on questionnaire reported characteristics consistent with FA. Subjects wit ...[more]

PMID: 32401757

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Project description:Background & aimsAs far as we know, no screening questionnaire has been developed and validated for identification of adverse food reactions in Portuguese-speaking adults, as an initial approach towards the investigation of cases of possible food allergy. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop and validate a screening questionnaire of food allergy in adult Portuguese-speaking patients.MethodsThis was a multicentre, cross-sectional study using a simple random sample of 186 adults between 18 and 82 years old from various parts of the centre of Portugal. Intelligibility of the questionnaire was first assessed in 24 patients with confirmed IgE- or non-IgE-mediated food allergy, and in 24 volunteers without food allergies. The 17-item questionnaire was subsequently applied by phone to 78 food allergic patients (66 IgE-mediated and 12 non-IgE mediated) and to 60 non-food allergic volunteers, with subsequent reassessment (re-test). Face and content validity, intelligibility, construct validity, and test-retest reliability (temporal stability) were analysed.ResultsFace and content validity allowed item reduction from 30 to 17 items with adequate content validity index >0.78. Construct validity was confirmed in the 66 confirmed IgE-mediated food allergic patients, 12 non-IgE-mediated food allergic patients, and 60 non-allergic patients. Test-Retest Reliability (general temporal stability) of the test had a Spearman correlation coefficient value of 0.845 for the retest. Cohen's Kappa values for the relevant questions were greater than 0.890 for almost all items. No differences were found when sex, age, and volunteers' recruitment origin were analysed. An inverse relationship was found between reliability and retest time interval.ConclusionsDue to the quick and easy implementation, confirmation of face, content and construct validity as well as high temporal reproducibility, this screening questionnaire may be a useful study tool for an initial approach to detection of food allergies in adults.

Dataset Information

Likely questionnaire-diagnosed food allergy in 78, 890 adults from the northern Netherlands.

Publications

Likely questionnaire-diagnosed food allergy in 78, 890 adults from the northern Netherlands.

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