Risk factors for inter allergy in subjects affected with spina bifida

Objectives: this study was carried out to determine risk factors for latex allergy in patients affected with spina bifida (SB). Methods: fiftynine consecutive subjects affected with SE, besides answering a questionnaire, underwent a skin prick test (SPT) to latex and the determ ination of specific serum IgE to latex by radioimmuno assay (RAST-CAP). The determination of total serum IgE (PRIST), SPTs to common aero and food all ergens, skin tests (prick + prick) with fresh foods (kiwi, pear, orange, al mond, pineapple, apple, tomato, banana), and RAST to the same foods which w ere tested by a prick + prick technique, were also performed. Results: five (8%) patients suffered from clinical manifestations to latex. Fifteen (25%) subjects were sensitized to latex according to the presence of IgE to latex detected by SPT and/or RAST. Sixteen patients (27%) present ed elevated serum IgE levels and 18 (30%) had one or more positive SPT with the commercial extracts of aero and/or food allergens. Tomato, kiwi and pe ar were the most common skin test (prick + prick) positive foods while toma to, orange and banana were the most common RAST positive foods. Conclusions: in subjects affected with SE, the presence of specific seric o r cutaneous IgE to latex, the presence of an elevated PRIST, one ol more po sitive SPT to aero allergens, one or more positive prick + prick to fresh f oods, a positive prick + prick to tomato, kiwi, pear and orange, a positive RAST to ananas and the presence of a more elevated number of operations we re significantly (p < 0.05) associated with latex allergy.