Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2017;45(1):77---81 www.elsevier.es/ai Allergologia et immunopathologia Sociedad Espa ˜ nola de Inmunolog´ ıa Cl´ ınica, Alergolog´ ıa y Asma Pedi ´ atrica ORIGINAL ARTICLE Assessment of IgE-mediated food allergies in children with atopic dermatitis A. Mavroudi a,* , A. Karagiannidou a , I. Xinias a , D. Cassimos b , N. Karantaglis a , E. Farmaki c , G. Imvrios d , M. Fotoulaki e , M. Eboriadou e , J. Tsanakas a a Allergy Unit of the 3rd Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece b Department of Pediatrics, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece c Immunology Unit 1st Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece d Organ Transplantation Unit, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece e 4th Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Received 18 February 2016; accepted 22 June 2016 Available online 4 October 2016 KEYWORDS Atopic dermatitis; Children; Eczema; Food allergy; Food hypersensitivity reactions Abstract Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory disease of the skin, which is charac- terised by a chronic relapsing course. Aim: The aim of the study was to assign the prevalence of clinically active food allergies among a group of children between 3 months and 7 years of age, with AD. Methods: Eighty-eight children with AD were screened for specific IgE antibodies to food pro- teins. All patients with AD and specific IgE antibodies to food proteins were subjected to Oral Food Challenges (OFCs) with the relevant foods. Results: Food-sensitised patients with moderate levels of sIgE had clinically active food allergy to milk (39.28%) and egg (42.34%) on the basis of positive OFCs. High IgE and eosinophilia had a prevalence of almost 80% and 25%, regardless of concomitant food sensitisation and disease severity. Conclusions: In this study, clinically active food allergies were recognised in 26.13% of children with AD. Nevertheless, no association was confirmed between food sensitisation and AD severity. High IgE and peripheral eosinophilia have not been found more prevalent among children with severe AD nor among children with food sensitisation. Infants and younger children with AD should be screened for an underlying food allergy, regardless of disease severity. © 2016 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier Espa˜ na, S.L.U. All rights reserved. ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail address: antigonemavrudi@gmail.com (A. Mavroudi). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aller.2016.06.006 0301-0546/© 2016 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier Espa˜ na, S.L.U. All rights reserved.