RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Food allergy is a public health problem that has increased in the last decade. Despite the increasing rates in children, quality data on the burden of these diseases is lacking particularly in developing countries. Honduras has no studies in pediatric patients. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this research was to identify the most common sensitization patterns to food through epicutaneous skin testing and food allergy rates in children and their correlation with common allergic diseases in a group of patients from Hospital of Pediatrics Maria. METHODS: Cross-sectional retrospective, descriptive study in which records and database of all allergic patients in the immunology outpatient clinic from Hospital of Pediatrics Maria were reviewed between the periods of January 2015 through June 2016. RESULTS: A total of 365 children were analyzed, the age of participants were in the range from 1 to 18 years, with an average of 9.8 years. Sensitization to food allergens were found in 23, and 58.3% were poly-sensitized. The most common food allergens that patients were sensitized to: milk 9.0%, eggs 6.9%, peanut 4.9% and pork meat 4.4%. Food allergy was confirmed via oral food challenged in 9.3% of the patients. The most frequent food allergies found were: cow's milk allergy 6%, hen's egg allergy 5.2% and wheat allergy 1.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Milk and egg were the most common a food allergens found in the population studied. Most of the patients were found to be poly-sensitized. The frequent food allergies confirmed via oral food challenge were cow's milk allergy, hen's egg allergy and wheat allergy.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Allergic diseases are a public health problem; estimates indicate that between 30% and 40% of the world population is affected by some allergy. Knowing the prevalence of allergen sensitization allows for adequate diagnoses and treatments to be offered. In Honduras there are no studies available in pediatric patients. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to identify the most common types of sensitization in children and their correlation with the most common allergic diseases in patients on immunotherapy at the Maria Hospital of Pediatric Specialties. METHODS: Cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective study in which medical records and databases of patients on allergic immunotherapy at the Maria Hospital of Pediatric Specialties were reviewed between January 2015 and June 2016. RESULTS: 215 children on immunotherapy were assessed; ages ranged from 3 to 18 years, with a mean of 10.8 years. Aeroallergen-positive epicutaneous tests were identified in 73.02%. The most common aeroallergens were Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus mix (96.74%), American cockroach 37.21%, and Aspergillus fumigatus and Homodenderum cladosporioides (16.28%). CONCLUSION: House dust mites and American cockroach were the most common causes of sensitization in patients on immunotherapy.
Antecedentes: Las enfermedades alérgicas constituyen un problema de salud pública; se estima que entre 30 y 40 % de la población mundial se encuentra afectada por alguna. Conocer la prevalencia de sensibilización a alérgenos permite ofrecer diagnósticos y tratamientos adecuados. En Honduras no se cuenta con estudios en pacientes pediátricos. Objetivos: El objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar el tipo de sensibilización más frecuente en los niños y su correlación con las enfermedades alérgicas más frecuentes en los pacientes en inmunoterapia del Hospital María de Especialidades Pediátricas. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo transversal descriptivo en el cual se revisaron los expedientes y base de datos de los pacientes en inmunoterapia alérgica del Hospital de Especialidades Pediátricas María entre enero de 2015 y junio de 2016. Resultados: Se evaluaron 215 niños en inmunoterapia, las edades oscilaron entre 3 y 18 años, con una media de 10.8 años. Se identificó que 73.02 % tenía pruebas epicutáneas positivas a aeroalérgenos. Los aeroalérgenos más frecuentes fueron Dermatophagoides farinae y Dermatophagoides psterossynium mix (96.74 %), cucaracha americana (37.21 %) y Aspergillus fumigatus y Homdonderum cladosporioides (16.28 %). Conclusiones: Los ácaros domésticos y la cucaracha americana constituyeron la mayor causa de sensibilización en pacientes en inmunoterapia.