Food-dependent exercise-induced allergic reactions (FDEIA) represent a distinct clinical phenomenon where symptoms arise during exercise following the consumption of specific trigger foods, with the most severe manifestation being anaphylaxis—a condition distinct from typical exercise-induced or food-induced anaphylaxis. In FDEIA, patients can either exercise or tolerate specific foods separately without experiencing any allergic reactions. Diagnosis relies on patient history and provocation testing, requiring rigorous implementation within a supervised hospital environment. Positive symptoms and clinical signs during testing confirm FDEIA, while negative outcomes do not preclude its presence. Exercise stands as the primary trigger, followed by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and alcohol. The utilization of various protocols for food cofactor challenges to confirm FDEIA yields differing diagnostic outcomes. We highlight the updated concept of food cofactor challenges, incorporating protocols reported in the literature, and summarize current recommendations and comprehensive management approaches for FDEIA patients.

Wheat and cereal grains have a broad range of cross-reactivity, but the clinical relevance of this cross-reactivity is uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate clinical and in vitro cross-reactivity with barley, oat, and Job's tears among wheat-allergic patients. Patients aged 5 to 15 years with IgE-mediated wheat allergy were enrolled. Skin prick test (SPT) and specific IgE (sIgE) to wheat, barley, and oat, and SPT to Job's tears were performed. Oral food challenge (OFC) was conducted if the SPT was ≤5 mm in size and there was no history of anaphylaxis to each grain. Profiles of sIgE bound allergens of wheat, barley, and oat, and inhibition ELISA of IgE binding to barley and oat with wheat were performed. Ten patients with a median age of 8 years were enrolled. Nine of those patients had a history of wheat anaphylaxis. The median SPT size and sIgE level to wheat was 7.3 mm and 146.5 kUA/l, respectively. The cross-reactivity rate for barley, oat, and Job's tears was 60.0%, 33.3%, and 20.0%, respectively. Significantly larger SPT size and higher sIgE level were observed in patients with positive cross-reactivity to barley and oat when compared to patients without cross-reactivity. Barley and oat extracts inhibited 59% and 16% of sIgE bound to wheat gliadins and glutenins, respectively. The cross-reactivity rate was quite low for oat and Job's tears compared to that of barley; therefore, avoidance of all cereal grains may be unnecessary in patients with severe wheat allergy.

A skin prick test (SPT) and food challenge test (OFC) are useful in identification of food sensitization and food allergy. To evaluate food allergen sensitization by SPT and food allergy by OFC in allergic Thai patients METHODS: SPTs for common food allergens were performed on allergic patients at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, from 2011 to 2015. An OFC was performed in positive food SPT patients with informed consent. SPTs to food were positive in 539 (20%) out of 2,678 allergic patients (73.8% were < 10 years old). Crab was the most common sensitized food in each year of the study period. In patients aged < 1 year, the most common sensitized foods were egg white (23.8%) and wheat (22.2%), while shrimp was for patients aged > 10 years (25%). A positive OFC was found in 29 (26.1%) out of the 111 OFCs performed (9.1% in patients with asthma, 28.6% in allergic rhinitis and 26.3% in food allergy). Positive OFCs were found for 60% of the crab, 35.7% of the egg yolk, and 31% of the cow's milk OFCs. Compared to OFC, SPT showed high specificity (71%-100%) but low sensitivity (0%-40%). The percentage of sensitization to egg white, egg yolk, wheat, soy, and peanut significantly increased (p < 0.05) from 2011 to 2015. The sensitization to egg white, egg yolk, wheat, soy, and peanut significantly increased and crab was the most common sensitized food. Food allergy in patients with allergic rhinitis was as common as in patients diagnosed food allergy.