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Prevalence of self-reported food allergy and IgE antibodies to food allergens in Swedish and Estonian schoolchildren

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 399–403 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To compare the prevalence of self-reported food allergy and IgE antibodies to food allergens in wheezing and non-wheezing Estonian and Swedish schoolchildren, in the light of the disparities in the standard of living, food consumption and prevalence of respiratory allergies that still exist between Estonia and the Scandinavian countries.

Design and setting:

As a part of the ISAAC Phase II study, children from a random sample of schools in Tallinn in Estonia and Linköping and Östersund in Sweden participated in skin prick tests to inhalant allergens and the parents replied to questionnaires. IgE antibodies against a panel of food allergens (egg white, milk, soy bean, fish, wheat and peanut) were taken from children with questionnaire-reported wheezing and a random sample of nonwheezing children.

Subjects:

Children aged 10–11 y.

Results:

The prevalence of self-reported food allergy was similar in Estonia and Sweden and about twice as high in wheezing children than in nonwheezing children. In Estonia, however, 3% of the children with perceived food allergy reported reactions from at least four different foods, as compared to 31% in Sweden. The prevalence of sensitisation to food allergens was similar in wheezing and nonwheezing children in Estonia (8%) while, in Swedish children, IgE antibodies to food allergens were more likely among wheezing children (Linköping 38 vs 11%, crude OR 5.1, 95% CI 2.2–11.6, and Östersund 24 vs 7%, crude OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.9–8.5).

Conclusion:

Our study suggests that IgE-mediated food reactions were less likely in Estonian schoolchildren. Moreover, the perception of food allergy and thereby the meaning of self-reported food allergy appears to be different in the two countries.

Sponsorship:

This study was supported by a grant from the Swedish Foundation for Health Care Sciences and Allergy Research.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Ing-Marie Sandberg, Lena Lindell, Lena Spets, Kristina Fluur-Hedman and Karin Helgesson for performing the SPTs and the blood samples. This work was supported by a grant from the Swedish Foundation for Health Care Sciences and Allergy Research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Paediatrics, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden

    A Sandin

  2. Tartu University Children's Hospital, Tartu, Estonia

    T Annus

  3. Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    B Björkstén

  4. Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Division of Paediatrics, Linköping University, Sweden

    L Nilsson

  5. Tallinn Children's Hospital, Tallinn, Estonia

    M -A Riikjärv

  6. Department of Medicine, Clinical Immunology and Allergy Unit, Karolinska Institute and Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    M van Hage-Hamsten

  7. Department of Public Health and Research, Sundsvall Hospital, Sweden

    L Bråbäck

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  1. A Sandin
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  2. T Annus
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  3. B Björkstén
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  4. L Nilsson
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  5. M -A Riikjärv
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  6. M van Hage-Hamsten
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  7. L Bråbäck
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A Sandin.

Additional information

Guarantor: A Sandin.

Contributors: AS collected data, analysed data, wrote the manuscript and involved in the final approval of the manuscript. TA coinvestigator, collected data and involved in the final approval of the manuscript. BB involved in study design and in the final approval of the manuscript. LN coinvestigator, involved in the final approval of the manuscript. M-AR coinvestigator, involved in the final approval of the manuscript. M van H-H data analyses and involved in the final approval of the manuscript. LB coinvestigator, involved in study design, data analysis and in the final approval of the manuscript.

The work was carried out at the Division of Paediatrics, Linköping University, the Department of Paediatrics, Östersund Hospital, and Karolinska Institutet.

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Sandin, A., Annus, T., Björkstén, B. et al. Prevalence of self-reported food allergy and IgE antibodies to food allergens in Swedish and Estonian schoolchildren. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 399–403 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602087

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602087

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