Validation of the Spanish Version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (S-FAQLQ-PF).

Background: Food allergy is an emerging health problem. Several questionnaires can be used to establish health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in food allergy patients. Current questionnaires should be translated in such a way that they take account of the culture of the country in which they are to be used.

Quality of life in patients with food allergy.

Food allergy has increased in developed countries and can have a dramatic effect on quality of life, so as to provoke fatal reactions. We aimed to outline the socioeconomic impact that food allergy exerts in this kind of patients by performing a complete review of the literature and also describing the factors that may influence, to a greater extent, the quality of life of patients with food allergy and analyzing the different questionnaires available. Hitherto, strict avoidance of the culprit food(s) and use of emergency medications are the pillars to manage this condition.

Identification of novel peptide biomarkers to predict safety and efficacy of cow's milk oral immunotherapy by peptide microarray.

Background: Cow's milk oral immunotherapy (CM-OIT) is still an experimental treatment. The development of novel biomarkers to predict the safety and efficacy of CM-OIT is crucial to translate this treatment to common clinical practice.

Objective: To analyse long-term changes in IgE and IgG4 epitope binding profile induced by CM-OIT to identify safety and efficacy biomarkers.

The impact of double-blind placebo- controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) on the socioeconomic cost of food allergy in Europe.

Background: Double-blind placebo controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) is the gold standard diagnostic test in food allergy because it minimizes diagnostic bias.

Objective: To investigate the potential effect of diagnosis on the socioeconomic costs of food allergy.

Methods: A prospective longitudinal cost analysis study was conducted in Spain and Poland within the EuroPrevall project.

Predictors of health-related quality of life of European food-allergic patients.

Background: Although food allergy has universally been found to impair HRQL, studies have found significant differences in HRQL between countries, even when corrected for differences in perceived disease severity. However, little is known about factors other than disease severity which may contribute to HRQL in food-allergic patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify factors which may predict HRQL of food-allergic patients and also to investigate the specific impact of having experienced anaphylaxis and being prescribed an EAI on HRQL.

Health-related quality of life in food-allergic adults from eight European countries.

Background: Food allergy can impair health-related quality of life (HRQL). Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaires (FAQLQs) have been developed and validated, including an adult form (FAQLQ-AF). HRQL has not, to date, been measured across different European countries using a uniform methodology.

Mapping of the IgE and IgG4 sequential epitopes of ovomucoid with a peptide microarray immunoassay.

Background: Ovomucoid (Gal d 1) has been demonstrated to be the most important allergen in IgE-mediated egg allergy. Peptide microarray analysis is a novel method that can provide useful information on the nature of specific allergens.

Methods: A peptide microarray immunoassay was performed using a 15- and 20-amino acid (aa) library of overlapping peptides (3-offset) of the primary sequence of ovomucoid.

Allergic rhinitis and its impact on work productivity in primary care practice and a comparison with other common diseases: the Cross-sectional study to evAluate work Productivity in allergic Rhinitis compared with other common dIseases (CAPRI) study.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent allergic disease and also counts among the 10 most frequent reasons for medical consultation. Its impact on quality of life (QoL) and work productivity has been established but comparisons with other diseases are rare in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of AR in health-related QoL (HRQoL) and work productivity in primary care patients, compared with other prevalent diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM) type II, and symptomatic depression.

Adaptation and validation of the Spanish version of the Quality Of Life in Latex Allergy questionnaire (QOLLA).

Objective: The aim of the present study was to translate into Spanish and transculturally adapt the Quality of Life in Latex Allergy questionnaire (QOLLA) in order to provide a validated instrument for use in research and daily practice.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with latex allergy were invited to participate in an observational prospective multicenter study to validate the Spanish version of the QOLLA following the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The study included 3 phases--feasibility, reliability, and cross-sectional validation-and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hospital Ramón y Cajal.

Utility of diagnostic tests in the follow-up of egg-allergic children.

Background: Better knowledge of the accuracy of a skin prick test (SPT) and specific IgE (sIgE) levels to egg allergens would help to identify persistent egg-allergic children, avoiding unnecessary risky challenges. This study was designed to assess the accuracy of a SPT and sIgE levels to egg allergens in order to determine persistent egg allergy in IgE-mediated allergic children after an egg-free diet.

Methods: Children below 16 years were prospectively and consecutively recruited.

Mapping of the IgE and IgG4 sequential epitopes of milk allergens with a peptide microarray-based immunoassay.

Background: Peptide microarray analysis is a novel method that can provide useful information on the nature of specific allergies.

Objective: We sought to determine the specificity and diversity of IgE and IgG4 antibodies binding to sequential epitopes of alpha(s1)-, alpha(s2)-, beta-, and kappa-caseins and beta-lactoglobulin by using a peptide microarray-based immunoassay.

Methods: A microarray immunoassay was performed with sera from 31 children with IgE-mediated milk allergy (16 with positive oral milk challenge results [ie, the reactive group] and 15 with negative oral milk challenge results [ie, the tolerant group]).

Skin prick test predictive value on the outcome of a first known egg exposure in milk-allergic children.

Children with milk allergy have higher incidence of other food allergies, especially egg allergy. The objective of this study was to ascertain the accuracy of the prick test in children with IgE-mediated milk allergy for diagnosing egg allergy. Children under the age of 1 yr who came consecutively to Allergy Department 2003-05, and were diagnosed with IgE-mediated milk allergy were selected for this study.

Latex allergy in healthcare workers: an epidemiological study in a Spanish hospital.

To design an effective prevention program in health care workers who are allergic to latex it is necessary to know the current epidemiological situation. The objectives were to determine the main factors associated with latex allergy and to quantify levels of airborne latex particles in different areas of our hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire completed by health care workers.