4 Apr 2005 - Recomended Reading
Various types of anti-acid drugs, used for treating
dyspepsia, heartburn and other gastrointestinal problems, can increase a person's risk of developing new types of food allergy - according to research
carried out at the Medical University of Vienna.
The study involved 152 patients being treated with a three month course of
either famotidine (Pepcid), ranitidine (Zantac) oromeprazole (Losec).
Blood tests for IgE food-specific antibodies were taken pre treatment,
three months into treatment, and five months after completion.
After 3 months of treatment, 10% of the treated group produced more IgE
antibody in response to foods which they were already allergic to at the
start of the study. 15% started producing IgE antibodies to foods they had
not been previously allergic to. In particular, they produced IgE to foods
such as peanuts, walnuts, almonds, potatoes, tomatoes,celery, carrots,
oranges, wheat flour and rye flour.
In 6% of the patients, levels of IgE remained raised five months after treatment stopped.
The study has recently received an award from the European
Centre for Allergy Research Foundation.
Comment from Dr Charles Shepherd - Medical Adviser to the ME
Association:
These findings are of importance to people with ME/CFS because they may
have both food allergies and gastrointestinal symptoms which require
treatment with anti-acid drugs. So if any of these drugs are going to
used, the decision should obviously take into account any known food
allergies. Anyone taking one of these anti-acid drugs may find it useful
to avoid highly allergenic foods, especially when they already have an allergic predisposition.
dyspepsia, heartburn and other gastrointestinal problems, can increase a person's risk of developing new types of food allergy - according to research
carried out at the Medical University of Vienna.
The study involved 152 patients being treated with a three month course of
either famotidine (Pepcid), ranitidine (Zantac) oromeprazole (Losec).
Blood tests for IgE food-specific antibodies were taken pre treatment,
three months into treatment, and five months after completion.
After 3 months of treatment, 10% of the treated group produced more IgE
antibody in response to foods which they were already allergic to at the
start of the study. 15% started producing IgE antibodies to foods they had
not been previously allergic to. In particular, they produced IgE to foods
such as peanuts, walnuts, almonds, potatoes, tomatoes,celery, carrots,
oranges, wheat flour and rye flour.
In 6% of the patients, levels of IgE remained raised five months after treatment stopped.
The study has recently received an award from the European
Centre for Allergy Research Foundation.
Comment from Dr Charles Shepherd - Medical Adviser to the ME
Association:
These findings are of importance to people with ME/CFS because they may
have both food allergies and gastrointestinal symptoms which require
treatment with anti-acid drugs. So if any of these drugs are going to
used, the decision should obviously take into account any known food
allergies. Anyone taking one of these anti-acid drugs may find it useful
to avoid highly allergenic foods, especially when they already have an allergic predisposition.