Pollen-food allergy syndrome in China

Little is known about pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFS) in China. To investigate the clinical characteristics, as well as sensitization patterns, of PFS in China. Clinical parameters and serum Immunoglobulin E (IgE) responses to prevalent pollens, plant foods and corresponding allergen components were evaluated. The top three most common pollen-associated allergenic foods were peach, apple and pear. Fifty-nine percent of the patients with PFS were allergic to peach. Sixty-one percent of PFS patients developed systemic reactions with or without oral cavity discomfort upon ingestion of the culprit food. Positive IgE responses to nonspecific lipid transfer proteins occurred in 69.9% of PFS patients, which was in accordance with the high prevalence of systemic reactions. Peach was the most common allergenic food in PFS patients. Patients with PFS in China showed an LTP-dominant sensitization profile and usually presented systemic reactions upon consumption of the allergenic foods.