Description of FPIES
Clinical data related to FPIES were collected: age at onset of first symptoms, age at diagnosis, culprit food(s), description of symptoms, age at OFC, age at acquisition of tolerance (defined as age at negative OFC or claimed regular consumption of the food in question without any reaction), and personal and familial first-degree relative history of atopic disease. Atopic disorder was defined as a history of IgE-mediated food allergy, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma or atopic dermatitis and/or a positive skin prick test (SPT) or specific IgE. SPTs were performed with the offending food using either a commercial allergen extract, or as a prick-by-prick using fresh food or milk. The SPT was considered to be positive if the diameter of the wheal was at least 3mm larger than the negative control (saline).22 Specific IgE values were considered to be positive if higher than 0.35 kU/L.22
Multiple FPIES was defined as FPIES to several groups of foods, as opposed to single FPIES. Several species of fish were considered as a unique food group, as were vegetables from the cucurbit family for example. Solid foods referred to food other than mammal’s milk.
Acute FPIES was defined as severe if the patient had needed a rapid vascular filling and/or hospitalisation due to dehydration or hypovolemic shock, persistent hypotonia or malaise.
Persistent FPIES was defined as FPIES without the acquisition of tolerance at the end of the follow-up and after at least one year after the first symptoms.