Study finds Cashew Allergy Prevalence and Risk Factors in Australian Infants

A recent study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice sheds light on the prevalence of cashew allergies among infants and identifies key risk factors associated with this condition. Conducted by the EarlyNuts cohort, this research offers valuable insights into a concerning health issue.

Cashew allergies have been identified as the most common tree nut allergy in Australia. However, prior to this study, there were limited data regarding the population-level prevalence and risk factors for this condition in the country.

The study involved 1,933 infants in Melbourne, Australia. Participants were subject to skin prick tests (SPT) to cashew, with those testing positive offered food challenges to further assess their condition. Demographic information and data on allergy risk factors were collected through questionnaires. Weighting techniques were employed to ensure that the prevalence estimates represented the distribution of risk factors among both participants and non-participants.

The results revealed that 1.49% of infants (95% CI, 0.91-2.44) were allergic to cashew, while 1.96% (95% CI, 1.28-2.99) exhibited an SPT result of 3 mm or greater, indicating cashew sensitization.

Moreover, the study identified key risk factors associated with cashew allergies. Notably, infants who experienced eczema or peanut allergies during their first year of life were found to be at a significantly higher risk of cashew allergies. The adjusted odds ratio for those with eczema was 5.75 (95% CI, 2.08-15.88), and for those with peanut allergies, it was a substantial 19.30 (95% CI, 5.44-68.43).

The study also examined the timing of cashew introduction into infants' diets. Surprisingly, it was found that only a quarter of participants had cashew introduced before the age of 12 months, suggesting that current infant feeding guidelines in Australia may not be translating into the early introduction of allergenic foods.

This research offers a crucial understanding of the prevalence and risk factors for cashew allergies in Australian infants. It highlights the importance of early allergy identification and calls for a review of infant feeding guidelines to ensure that they better reflect the latest knowledge on allergen introduction.

Source:

Brettig, T., Soriano, V. X., Dharmage, S. C., McWilliam, V., Peters, R. L., Perrett, K., & Koplin, J. J. (2023). Cashew Allergy Prevalence and Sensitization in 1-Year-Old Infants. In The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2023.07.019