Age-related features of sensitization to chicken egg white in children with allergic diseases

BACKGROUND: International studies have shown that egg allergy is one of the main causes of IgE-mediated food allergies in children.

THIS STUDY AIMED TO analyze the frequency and rate of sensitization to white egg of Russian children, depending on the sex and age.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anti-egg white-specific IgE antibodies were measured in children with symptoms of food allergy, such as nausea, vomiting, stool disorder developing after eating, mucosal edema, upper respiratory tract edema, urticaria, and exacerbation of eczema (4981 patients aged 6 months to 18 years). The frequency and degree of sensitization in various age groups were analyzed.

RESULTS: In this study, 29.5% of the children had anti-egg white IgE antibodies. Low (31.6%, IgE=0.35–0.69 kU/L) and moderate (40.2%, IgE=0.70–3.5 kU/L) sensitizations were the most common. An extremely high level of anti-egg white antibodies (IgE >50.0 kU/L) was observed in 6.2% of the patients. In the first year of life, sensitization was detected in 39% of the cases. In older age groups, the frequency of positive responses decreased. compared with those in the younger groups. The dependence of sensitization frequencies on sex was found in children aged >12 years. Frequencies of egg sensitization in girls aged 12–14 and 14–18 were statistically significantly lower than those in boys of the same age. The dependence of the response severity on the patient’s age was also noted: a decrease in the frequency of highly positive responses and an increase in proportion of patients with medium or low IgE levels in the older group. The severity of the IgE response decreased by age 12 and 14 years in girls and boys, respectively.

CONCLUSION: The detection frequency of specific IgE antibodies to the extract of allergens of chicken egg white was the highest in children in the first year of life. These parameters decrease in older children; аfter the age of 12, the response severity and frequency were associated with the patient’s sex. The tendency of the number of patients with chicken egg white allergen-specific IgE antibodies and their quantitative level in adolescence to decrease may be evidence of the development of tolerance to this food product.