Incomplete digestion of codfish represents a risk factor for anaphylaxis in patients with allergy.

Background: Fish represents one of the most important allergenic foods causing severe allergic reactions. Nevertheless, it has been shown that gastric digestion significantly reduces its allergenic capacity.

Objective: In this study, we assessed the absorption kinetics of fish proteins and investigated the clinical reactivity of patients with fish allergy to codfish digested at physiological or elevated gastric pH.

The effects of gastric digestion on codfish allergenicity.

Background: In a recent murine study, we showed that impaired gastric digestion supports the induction of fish allergy by protecting the digestion-sensitive major allergen parvalbumin and thus enhancing its sensitizing properties.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether impairment of peptic degradation might also play a role in the effector phase of codfish allergy.

Methods: The resistance of cod proteins to digestion by simulated gastric fluid was assessed in vitro .

High prevalence of autoimmune urticaria in children with chronic urticaria.

Background: The etiology of chronic urticaria (CU) in childhood often remains unrecognized. Recently, in adults it has been shown that approximately 40% of patients with CU have autoimmune urticaria (AU); however, no data are available in children.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and possible risk factors for AU in children with CU.