Epidemiological study of food allergy in a population of Argentine children.

INTRODUCTION Food allergies affect mostly children in their first years of life. Epidemiological data obtained in Argentina are scarce. OBJECTIVES To determine offending foods and describe the prevalence and characteristics of patients with food allergy in an Argentine pediatric population. PATIENTS AND METHODS Observational, retrospective, crosssectional study on patients younger than 18 years. RESULTS A total of 321 patients were included; food allergy was confirmed in 64 % (207) of cases. An immunoglobulinE-mediated mechanism was observed in 53% (109); cow's milk protein allergy, in 68 % (140); egg allergy, in 20 % (41); and anaphylaxis as clinical manifestation, in 12 % (24). The overall prevalence of food allergy was 0.87 % (95 % confidence interval: 0.7-0.9). CONCLUSIONS The overall prevalence of food allergy was 0.87%. Cow's milk was the main allergen, even among adolescents.