Food related, exercise induced anaphylaxis

Four children under 12 years of age with food dependent, exercise induced anaphylaxis (EIAn) were investigated. These children and five controls performed exercise challenges when fasting and one hour after a meal without food suspected to predispose to the reaction. Patients then performed exercise tests after intake of each suspected food. Three out of 15 food-exercise combination challenges were positive, but no reactions provoked after exercise without intake of suspected foods. Patients underwent skin prick tests to foods and serum total and specific IgE antibodies were measured. Skin prick test results were positive and PAST results were positive in two of three instances. In case 3, food-exercise combination challenges did not provoke any clinical reaction. The diagnosis of food dependent EIAn should be considered in young children with EIAn of unknown origin.