Wheat allergy in children

[Guest guest]

from

 

http://www.aaaai.org/aadmc/currentliterature/selectedarticles/2003archive/wheat_\

allergy.html

 

 

Wheat allergy update

Summary

Wheat products are among the 6 foods reported to be

responsible for about 90% of food allergic reactions

in children. Recent findings about several aspects of

wheat allergy (WA) were reviewed by Palosuo of the

Univ. of Helsinki in Finland: 1) WA is now recognized

to be one of the causes of food-dependent

exercise-induced anaphylaxis. 2) Wheat flour is a

major allergen in " baker's asthma. " 3) Only a few of

the potentially allergenic proteins in wheat have been

well characterized. One or more of several water/salt

solution soluble wheat proteins have been incriminated

in baker's asthma. The insoluble gliadins have been

implicated in IgE-mediated reactions to ingested

wheat. Omega-5 gliadin has been identified as a major

allergen in the exercise-induced anaphylaxis that

occurs following wheat ingestion. Some children with

WA react specifically to omega-5 gliadin in oral

challenges. Skin testing and/or in vitro testing for

IgE vs gliadin may provide additional worthwhile

information in such cases.

 

Reference

Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;3:205-9

 

Editor's Comments

The interesting recent developments described above

help our understanding of the complex pattern of

IgE-mediated allergic reactions to wheat. Of course,

other adverse reactions to ingested wheat do occur, in

particular in the gliadin-induced celiac syndromes in

children and adults. The latter is not usually

accompanied by typical IgE-mediated allergic

reactions.