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.