Immunology

Summary
The authors performed a retrospective chart review of children, age 2 to 18 years, who received oral food challenge to baked egg. They performed egg white-specific IgE and skin prick tests. The goal was to see if these two studies were predictive in terms of whether or not a patient would have a negative oral food challenge.  
 
Fifty-two oral challenges were conducted. Eighty-three percent (43) passed, and 17% (9) failed. There were two episodes of anaphylaxis.  
 
The median skin prick wheal size was 12 mm for passed challenges, and 17 mm for failed challenges. The negative predictive value for passing the oral food challenge was 100% (9 of 9) if skin prick test wheal size was less than 10 mm.  
 
The median egg white-specific IgE was 2.02 kU/L for passed challenges, and 1.52 kU/L for failed challenges. There was no significant difference in age between patients who failed and those who passed.
 
The authors concluded that evaluation of their sample revealed that skin prick tests, egg white-specific IgE, and age are not good predictors of a passed oral food challenge to baked egg. However, they noted a trend for more predictability in regards to skin prick tests.  
 
Reference
Cortot CF, et al. Role of specific IgE and skin prick testing in predicting food challenge results to baked egg. Allergy and Asthma Proceedings 2012; 33:275-281.