Table 3 The associated factors of severity of symptoms (ECRHS III data).

From: Food hypersensitivity: an examination of factors influencing symptoms and temporal changes in the prevalence of sensitization in an adult sample

 

Self-report FHS

Symptoms (n = 611)

p valueb (Mild vs. Severe)

Milda

Severea

Univarb

Mult logc

Number of participants

655d

450

161

  

Female, n (%)

430 (65.7%)

295 (65.56%)

101 (62.73%)

0.584

0.400

Mean age in year (SD)

53.4 (7.06)

53.74 (7.15)

53.12 (6.69)

0.571

 

Country, n (%)

   

0.061

 

Australia

55 (8.4%)

40 (8.89%)

12 (7.45%)

  

Belgium

62 (9.5%)

43 (9.56%)

12 (7.45%)

 

0.967

Estonia

15 (2.3%)

12 (2.67%)

3 (1.86%)

 

0.604

France

124 (18.9%)

86 (19.11%)

33 (20.50%)

 

0.255

Iceland

64 (9.8%)

38 (8.44%)

23 (14.29%)

 

0.025

Norway

76 (11.6%)

57 (12.67%)

16 (9.94%)

 

0.494

Spain

40 (6.1%)

22 (4.89%)

18 (11.18%)

 

0.013

Sweden

160 (24.4%)

121 (26.89%)

34 (21.12%)

 

0.954

Switzerland

18 (2.8%)

–

–

 

–

UK

41 (6.3%)

31 (6.89%)

10 (6.21%)

 

0.761

Self-reported allergic history, n (%)

Asthma

158 (24.1%)

87 (19.33%)

62 (38.51%)

<0.0005

0.002

Nasal allergies including hay fever

370 (56.5%)

251 (55.78%)

107 (66.46%)

0.012

0.163

Skin allergies, including eczema

379 (57.9%)

249 (55.33%)

109 (67.70%)

0.008

0.063

Total IgE level in kU/l, Median (IQR)

30.81 (11.28, 82.03)e

28.13 (10.93, 74.10)f

42.23 (13.57, 101.17)g

0.080

 

Sensitization, n (%)

House dust mite

100/541 (18.48%)

59/384 (15.36%)

36/134 (26.87%)

0.005

0.124

Cat

73/541 (13.49%)

48/384 (12.5%)

23/134 (17.16%)

0.228

 

Grass

118/541 (21.81%)

83/384 (21.61%)

34/134 (25.37%)

0.478

 

Birch

113/476 (23.74%)

83/337 (24.63%)

28/125 (22.40%)

0.707

 

Age of first FHS to any food, Median (IQR)

25 (15, 40)h

26 (15, 40)

22 (10, 35)

0.001

0.006

Number of years since the first food reaction

26 (12, 38)

24 (11, 37)

30 (19, 41.5)

<0.005

 
  1. FHS food hypersensitivity, IQR interquartile range, SD standard deviation.
  2. aSevere: breathlessness, fainting or dizziness, emergency injection required and have both skin-mucosal and gastrointestinal symptoms. Mild: rash or itchy skin, diarrhea or vomiting, runny or stuffy nose, severe headaches, itching, tingling or swelling in mouth, difficulty swallowing.
  3. bUnivariate tests: t-test for age; chi-square test for prevalence; Wilcoxon rank sum test for total IgE level and age of first FHS.
  4. cMultiple logistic regression: factors with p < 0.05 in univariate tests were included. Sex and country were adjusted.
  5. dAmong the 655 had self-reported FHS, 44 did not provide details of symptoms.
  6. en = 541.
  7. fn = 384.
  8. gn = 134.
  9. hn = 596.
  10. Bold values identify statistical significance (p < 0.05).
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