[A report of 50 patients with artemisia pollenosis and plant food allergy].

OBJECTIVE: To study the patients with both artemisia pollenosis and plant food allergy.

METHODS: The diagnosis of artemisia pollenosis was based on a history of summer-autumn pollenosis, and positive intradermal test with artemisia pollen (Ar) and serum specific IgE-Ar; the diagnosis of plant food allergy was based on a history of the symptoms occurred shortly after the intake of some plant foods, and positive skin prick test using some plant food, and positive specific IgE in some of them.

RESULTS: A total of 50 patients with both artemisia pollenosis and plant food allergy was diagnosed. The average age of onset of artemisia pollenosis was 24 (7 approximately 56 yr), The average age of onset of allergy to plant food was 23 year 8 month (3 approximately 57 yr). Sex ratio (M:F) was 21:29 with female predominating. artemisia pollenosis occurred prior to food allergy in 50% of the patients, plant food allergy occurred prior to pollenosis in about 29% of the patients, both of them occurred simultaneously in 21%. The common offending food were legumes, peach and peanut and sunflower seeds etc, nasal symptoms by inhalation of Ar occurred in 96% (46/48) of the patients, followed by conjunctivitis and asthma, urticaria was not common, anaphylatic shock and gastrointestinal symptoms were rare. The common clinical manifestations caused by ingestion of plant food were urticaria and oral allergy syndrome (OAS) occurred in 66% (33/50) and 40% (20/50) of the patients respectively, followed by asthma, rhinitis and conjunctivitis, anaphylactic shock and gastrointestinal tract symptoms were much more frequently than artemisia pollenosis. but single oral mucosa symptoms only occurred in 3 patients.

CONCLUSION: The patients with pollenosis must be in vigilance for the development of plant food allergy later, and vise versa. Single oral mucosa symptoms were rarely seen.