Compatibility of Egg White and Chicken Meat as Allergen in Atopic Dermatitis: Skin Prick Test and Specific IGE Evaluation

Abstract

Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin disease and is linked with Quality of Life (QoL) impairment. Food hypersensitivity is considered as one of the exacerbating factors of AD and can lead to worse outcome of AD. Foods that are commonly consumed by the public such as egg white and chicken meat can also be suspected as allergen for some people. This study was to evaluate the possibility of egg white and chicken meat as allergen in AD. We gathered information of the patient’s history, results of egg white and chicken meat SPT, and results of egg white and chicken meat specific IgE. The SPT reagent used in the study was local allergen extracts that were produced by Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital Surabaya, Indonesia. Forty-five AD patients were included in this study which consisted of 34 females and 11 males. After evaluating the egg white SPT results, the compatibility of the test result with patient’s history was 73.33%, while the result of egg white IgE test showed 77.78% compatibility with patient’s history. There were 22.22% clinically relevant result of positive egg white SPT that may conclude to allergy of egg white in AD patients. The compatibility of chicken meat SPT and IgE results with patient’s history were 68.89% and 77.78% respectively. Egg white and chicken meat SPT and specific IgE evaluation should be considered as diagnostic tool to investigate the causative allergen of AD, but must be analyzed with patient’s history and clinical manifestation.