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. 2024 May 23;16(11):1578.
doi: 10.3390/nu16111578.

Feasibility and Safety of the Early Introduction of Allergenic Foods in Asian Infants with Eczema

Daisuke Harama  1 , Mayako Saito-Abe  1   2 , Sayaka Hamaguchi  1   3 , Tatsuki Fukuie  1 , Yukihiro Ohya  1   2 , Kiwako Yamamoto-Hanada  1   2
Affiliations

Feasibility and Safety of the Early Introduction of Allergenic Foods in Asian Infants with Eczema

Daisuke Harama et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: There is a lack of data regarding the early introduction of the consumption of allergenic food among Asian infants.

Methods: We examined infants who had early-onset eczema before 6 months of age and received instructions from certified allergists for the early introduction of hen's eggs, milk, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Results: The consumption rates of hen's eggs were 100% at 24 months. For peanuts and walnuts, the consumption rate was moderate at 12 months (48.5% and 30.3%, respectively), but by 24 months, it had progressed to 78.8% and 81.3%, respectively. In contrast, cashews remained at lower levels than other allergens at 20.7% at 12 months and 41.4% at 24 months. No adverse events related to early introductions occurred.

Conclusions: In infants with eczema, allergenic foods could be introduced early and well tolerated in Asian infants. However, having eczema may indicate a predisposition to food allergies, so caution is necessary when introducing allergenic foods. The early introduction of peanuts and tree nuts was still more challenging in real-world practice in Asia as well as in Western countries.

Keywords: early introduction; eczema; food allergy; infant.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Trend in specific IgE levels and TARC with age by month. Allergen-specific IgE, total IgE, and TARC at 6, 12, and 24 months were investigated for participants whose allergists considered it necessary. Median (IQR) values at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively, were as follows: total IgE 17.8 (6.98–40.0) IU/mL, 48.9 (31.0–111.0) IU/mL, and 87.2 (59.1–149.0) IU/mL; TARC 1520.5 (964.8–2048) pg/mL, 876.0 (721.0–1287) pg/mL, and 908.5 (706.0–1135) pg/mL; Egg 4.70 (1.40–48.0) UA/mL, 9.41 (3.02–37.9) UA/mL, and 4.89 (2.06–51.9) UA/mL; OVM 0 (0–2.70) UA/mL, 1.37 (0.3–4.41) UA/mL, and 0.5 (0.26–2.50) UA/mL. * indicates statistical significance, p < 0.01. NT: not tested, OVM: ovomucoid.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The consumption rate of hen’s egg, peanuts, walnuts, and cashew nuts.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The consumption rate of hen’s egg, peanuts, walnuts, and cashew nuts between sensitized and non-sensitized infants. The white bar shows infants without sanitization, and the black bar shows infants with sensitization.
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