Analyze the levels of serum food specific IgG antibodies in 3758 patients with food intolerance in Liaocheng area

Objective: To analyze the levels of food specific IgG (sIgG) antibodies in the serum of suspected food intolerant individuals in Liaocheng area, and to explore the distribution of food positivity, age, and gender of food specific IgG antibody levels. This study aims to provide scientific basis for people to avoid food intolerance, clinical diagnosis and treatment plans, and guidance on reasonable diet. Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 3758 suspected food intolerance patients (all permanent residents of Liaocheng) who visited Liaocheng Maternal and Child Health Hospital from November 2020 to January 2024, including 1906 males and 1852 females; The age range is from 3 days of birth to 90 years old. Immunoblotting was used to detect the concentration of food specific IgG antibodies (sIgG) in the serum of 14 foods (beef, chicken, pork, cod, shrimp, crab, eggs, milk, corn, wheat, mushrooms, soybeans, tomatoes, and rice) in patients. Perform statistical analysis using SPSS V22.0 and compare the positive rates of each group using X2. Out of 3758 patients, 175 were negative for sIgG in food, with a detection rate of 95.3% (3583/3758). The top 8 positive rates in food, from high to low, were milk (76.4%); Eggs (66.6%); Wheat (57.1%); Soybeans (38.5%); Tomatoes (35.3%); Beef (29.6%); Rice (27.3%); Cod (25.9%). The positive rate of sIgG in beef among male patients was significantly higher than that in female patients (X2=13.55, P<0.05). The positive rate of sIgG in milk of male patients was significantly higher than that of female patients (X2=26.4, P<0.05). The sIgG positivity rates of cod, crab, egg, mushroom, shrimp, and tomato in female patients were significantly higher than those in male patients (P<0.05). The other six types of food were not found to have statistical significance. The 14 types of food sIgG in this study showed significant differences (P<0.05) among different age groups. The food with the highest positivity rate varies among different age groups. Among the eight age groups in this study, the highest positive detection rate was 20.06% in the 1-2 year age group, followed by May November age group (19.53%), adults over 18 years old (18.65%), children aged 3-6 years old (15.19%), and children aged 1-4 months (12.83%). Conclusion: There may be a certain correlation between food intolerance and elevated levels of sIgG antibodies in Liaocheng area. It is recommended that patients of different genders and ages optimize their dietary structure according to their own characteristics. Children, especially those who have just been exposed to complementary foods (5-2 years old), should still be a key focus of attention for food intolerance.