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Case Report

 

Oral Rush Desensitization With Tomato: A Case Report

 

E Nucera, D Schiavino, A Buonomo, C Roncallo, E Pollastrini, C Lombardo, C Alonzi, V Pecora, T De Pasquale, G Patriarca

Department of Allergy, Policlinico Gemelli, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy

J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2006; Vol. 16(3): 214-217

 

 Abstract


Adverse food reaction in which no immunological mechanism is demonstrated should be termed nonallergic food hypersensitivity or food intolerance. We present the case of a 12-year-old girl with a clinical history of abdominal pain, nausea, and general malaise after tomato intake which completely remitted with antihistamines. The patient underwent a complete allergy evaluation: skin prick tests, serum specific IgE and IgG4 tests to tomato, and double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge. Skin prick tests and specific IgE to tomato were negative while the food challenge was positive. At the end of the workup, the patient underwent an oral rush desensitizing treatment. At the end of the treatment the patient could eat a maintenance dose of 100 g of tomato daily with no side effects at all. This successful result suggests that the oral desensitizing treatment can be used in patients with nonallergic food hypersensitivity.

Key words: Nonallergic food hypersensitivity. Tomato intolerance. Oral rush desensitization. Tomato desensitization.