Abstract
Background: The level of pollen in Korea has increased over recent
decades. Research suggests that pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS) may
be more frequent in childhood than previously recognized. We aimed to
investigate the prevalence and characteristics of PFAS in children aged
6–10 years from a general population-based birth cohort.
Methods: We analyzed 930 children
from the COhort for Childhood Origin of Asthma and allergic diseases
(COCOA) birth cohort. Allergic diseases were diagnosed annually by
pediatric allergists. The skin
prick tests were performed with 14 common inhalant allergens and four
food allergens for children aged 3 and 7 years.
Results: Of the 930 eligible
children, 44 (4.7%) aged 6–10 years were diagnosed with. The mean age
at onset was 6.74 years. PFAS prevalence was 7.2% among children with
allergic rhinitis (AR) and 19.1% among those with pollinosis, depending
on comorbidity. PFAS was more prevalent in schoolchildren with atopic
dermatitis, food allergy, and sensitization to food allergens and grass
pollen in early childhood. In schoolchildren with AR, only a history of
food allergy before 3 years increased the risk of PFAS (aOR 2.971, 95%
CI: 1.159–7.615).
Conclusion: Food allergy and food sensitization in early childhood was
associated with PFAS in schoolchildren with AR. Further study is
required to elucidate the mechanism by which food allergy in early
childhood affects the development of PFAS.