Adult Drug and Food Allergy in the UK Biobank Cohort Study
The incidence of food and drug allergies have been increasing worldwide but there has been little research into the differences between these two groups of allergies, and how theses may give clues to the aetiologies of these reactions. The epidemiology of allergy in older adults has rarely been reported in the UK.
METHODS:
The UK Biobank is a cohort study of over 500,000 participants. At baseline participants undertook a survey, including questions on lifestyle and health and various anthropometric measures including spirometry, as well as giving a blood sample. This data set will enable us to gain measure of allergy prevalence in differing groups in society delineated either by ethnicity, age, sex, socioeconomic status or geography. We used logistic regression models to investigate the relationship of food and drug allergy with other risk factors and disease outcomes.
RESULTS:
At baseline 2,240 (0.45%) reported allergy or anaphylaxis to food while 4,255 reported allergy or anaphylaxis to drugs (0.85%). Female participants reported higher proportions of the food (67.5%) and drug allergies (70.0%). Younger participants reported higher high prevalences of food (prevalence of 0.49% in participants in their 4th decade verses 0.40% in 7th decade) but not drug allergies. Reporting and allergy or anaphylactic reaction to food increased the risk of also reporting a reaction to drug (OR 18.5 95%CI 16.25, 21.0). Country of birth outside of the United Kingdom increased the risk of food allergy (OR 1.22 95% CI 1.03, 1.42) but had a protective effect on drug allergy (OR 0.75 95%CI 0.65, 86.5) (both adjusted for age, sex, BMI, income and smoking).
CONCLUSIONS:
Drug and food allergies vary in this UK population. Risk factors may point to potential pathological pathways.