A population-based questionnaire survey on the prevalence of peanut, tree nut, and shellfish allergy in 2 Asian populations

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 2010-08, Vol.126 (2), p.324-331.e7
• Main Authors: Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi, MRCP, Cabrera-Morales, Elizabeth Ann, MD, Soh, Shu E., MSc, Gerez, Irvin, MD, Ng, Pau Zhing, MBBS, Yi, Fong Cheng, PhD, Ma, Stefan, PhD, Lee, Bee Wah, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Factors; Allergies; Allergy and Immunology; anaphylaxis; Arachis hypogaea; Asia; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Child; Child, Preschool; Children & youth; epinephrine autoinjectors; Female; Food allergies; food allergy; Humans; Male; Nut Hypersensitivity - epidemiology; Peanut allergy; Peanut Hypersensitivity - epidemiology; Peanuts; Philippines; Philippines - epidemiology; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Shellfish - adverse effects; shellfish allergy; Singapore; Singapore - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; tree nut allergy
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.06.003

Background There has been a substantial increase in the prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergy in Western populations in the last 2 decades. However, there is an impression that peanut and tree nut allergy is relatively uncommon in Asia. Objective To evaluate the prevalence of peanut, tree nut, and shellfish allergy in schoolchildren in 2 Asian countries (Singapore and Philippines). Methods A structured written questionnaire was administered to local and expatriate Singapore (4-6 and 14-16 years old) and Philippine (14-16 years old) schoolchildren. Results A total of 25,692 schoolchildren responded to the survey (response rate, 74.2%). Of these, 23,425 responses fell within the study protocol's 4 to 6 and 14 to 16 year age groups and were included in the analysis. The prevalence of convincing peanut and tree nut allergy were similar in both local Singapore (4-6 years, 0.64%, 0.28%; 14-16 years, 0.47%, 0.3%, respectively) and Philippine (14-16, 0.43%, 0.33%, respectively) schoolchildren, but was higher in the Singapore expatriates (4-6 years, 1.29%, 1.12%; 14-16 years, both 1.21%, respectively; 4-6 years, expatriates vs local Singaporeans: peanut, P  = .019; tree nut, P  = .0017; 14-16 years, P  > .05). Conversely, shellfish allergy was more common in the local Singapore (4-6 years, 1.19%; 14-16 years, 5.23%) and Philippine (14-16 years, 5.12%) schoolchildren compared with expatriate children (4-6 years, 0.55%; 14-16 years, 0.96%; P