Can allergy patch tests with food additives help to diagnose the cause in childhood chronic spontaneous urticaria?

Introduction Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is characterized by the onset of symptoms which are not induced by specific triggers, but are rather spontaneous. A considerable number of patients report that foods or food additives might be responsible for their chronic urticaria. Aim To determine the prevalence of sensitization to food additives in children with CSU using atopy patch tests (ATP). Material and methods Atopy patch tests for 23 different food additives were applied to 120 children with CSU and 61 healthy controls. Results Seventeen (14.1%) children with CSU were sensitized with food additives. None of the control group had positive APT. Azorubine and Cochineal red were the food additives detected with the highest sensitization rates (5.8% (n = 7) and 6.7% (n = 8), respectively). Conclusions There can be an association between food additives and CSU. APT tests may be a helpful tool in the assessment and management of CSU so that easier to follow diets and effective treatments can be offered to families.