Egg food allergy at the University Hospital of Montpellier: Our experience

Background: Egg is one of the most prevalent allergen in food allergy and may be responsible for severe reactions. Objective: To better appraise our egg allergic population, the symptoms, the positivity of oral food challenge, and performances of skin prick-test and specific IgE for diagnosis. Method: Retrospective study in patients who underwent an oral food challenge to egg at the Allergy Department of Montpellier University Hospital since 2004. Results: Seventy-nine patients were included (mean 6,6 years) 59.5% males and 40.5% females. Among which, 48.1% started egg avoidance because of the reaction secondary to egg ingestion, 31.6% after positive skin or biological test. The most common clinical manifestation was angiœdema (26.6%), then urticaria (24%) and vomits (11.4%). Skin prick-tests to commercial extract were positive in 83.3% to 88.8% depending of the extract, and in 42% to 87% for egg realistic tests. Egg white specific IgE were positive in95.4%, 65% to egg yolk and 77.7% to ovalbumin. Eighteen patients (23.4%) were positive to oral food challenge with principally urticaria (72.2%) and conjunctivitis (55.5%). Only realistic skin prick-test to heated egg white (P = 0.015) and yolk (P = 0.036), as well as egg white (P = 0.019) and yolk (P = 0.032) specific IgE are different statistically between positive and negative oral food challenges groups. Conclusion: This analysis will have to help us to improve the diagnostic and therapeutic care of our patients.