Hypersensitivity to milk and egg white. Skin tests, rast results and clinical intolerance

Abstract

Prick tests to milk and egg white were compared to clinical histories of sensitivity to these foods. Seventeen RAST-positive versus 17 RAST-negative controls were used. All 34 children and young adults were selected because they had atopic respiratory and/or dermal manifestations. Atopic eczema manifestations were present in 11 of the RAST-postive subjects and in two of the controls. Of these, nine had past history of egg white intolerance. Egg white challenge was associated with dermal reactions as follows: eczema in two, urticaria in two and angioedema in two. Positive clinical histories compared favorably (p less than 0.001) with prick tests for egg white but poorly (p greater than 0.05) for milk. Similarly, positive clinical histories compared significantly (p less than 0.001) with RAST for egg white but poorly (p greater than 0.05) for milk.