Antiphospholipid Antibodies Positively Associated With Food Allergy

Blood sample tube for anticardiolipin
Antiphospholipid antibodies were associated with the presence of food allergies.

This article is part of Pulmonology Advisor‘s coverage of the ACAAI 2019 meeting, taking place in Houston, TX. Our staff will report on medical research related to allergies, asthma, and more conducted by experts in the field. Check back regularly for more news from ACAAI 2019.


HOUSTON — Antiphospholipid antibodies were associated with the presence of food allergies, according to study results presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American College of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology, held November 7 to 11 in Houston, Texas.

The study was a retrospective analysis of laboratory, clinical, and demographic data of 4611 outpatients (mean age, 46 years), 55% of whom had some kind of food allergy. The most common food allergies were to white beans (49%), whole eggs (41%), and cow’s milk (26%). Researchers assessed a total of 4 antiphospholipid antibody categories, including antibodies against beta-2-glycoprotein-1, cardiolipin, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylserine/prothrombin complex.

Women and those of Hispanic descent were less likely to have a food allergy, according to the univariate logistic regression analysis. Food allergy was positively associated with the presence of anticardiolipin immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies (odds ratio [OR], 1.37; 95% CI, 1.19-1.56). There was a negative association between food allergy and the presence of antiphosphatidylserine IgM antibodies (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.62-0.92) and antiphosphatidylserine/prothrombin IgM antibodies (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.48-0.77). After the researchers adjusted for patient demographics, they observed a persisting association between allergy and antiphospholipid antibodies.

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According to the researchers, the finding of an association between food allergy and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies “may indicate that these daily dose of allergens in food interfere with the [immunologic] responses causing chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.”

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Reference

Ayass M, Nowshad G, Mosleh L, Alsheikh O, Zhu K, Viswanathan K. Prevalence and covariates of food allergy in outpatient population: role of antiphospholipid syndrome. Presented at: 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Asthma, Allergy, & Immunology, November 7-11, 2019; Houston, TX. Abstract P307.