Clinical and immunological characteristics of food allergy in different forms of inherited epidermolysis bullosa

BACKGROUND: Inherited epidermolysis bullosa is a severe orphan hereditary disease with a predominant lesion of the skin and mucous membranes. The study of the comorbid background, including food allergies, remains an urgent issue, given the difficulties that often arise in the treatment and formation of the diet in this category of patients. AIM: to assess the frequency and nature of food allergies in children with inherited epidermolysis bullosa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An open single-center randomized observational retrospective and prospective study included 165 patients aged 2 months to 17 years with an inherited epidermolysis bullosa. All patients were evaluated for an allergic history, determination of the levels of total IgE and allergen-specific serum IgE to the most significant food allergens (UniCAP System, Thermo Fisher Scientific), if necessary, a diagnostic elimination diet and diagnostic product administration were prescribed, based on the data obtained, the diagnosis of food allergy was confirmed or excluded. RESULTS: Among children suffering from inherited epidermolysis bullosa, confirmed food allergy was 13.9% of cases (in 13.4% in the group of children with dystrophic form of the disease, 15.2% in the group of children with a simple form of the disease). The main manifestations of food allergy in this cohort of patients were skin symptoms. Cows milk proteins were the most frequent etiological factor of food allergy (78.3%). Most children with food allergies had a high level of total IgE (87.5%). In children with non-IgE mediated form, high levels of total IgE were detected in 25% of cases, while these children were characterized by a severe course of the underlying disease or the presence of concomitant atopic dermatitis. Burdened heredity for allergic diseases turned out to be more typical for children with an IgE-mediated form of food allergy from the group of simple epidermolysis bullosa. CONCLUSION: Early detection of food allergies in children with inherited epidermolysis bullosa, as an aggravating factor in the course of the underlying disease, is necessary to optimize the tactics of dietary support for patients with inherited epidermolysis bullosa.