Hen’s egg white allergy in adults leading to strong impairment of quality of life

Abstract

Abstract In adulthood, hen’s egg white allergy (EWA) is a rare condition and rising in prevalence. Typically, EWA begins in early childhood and resolves at school age. Persistence into adulthood or newly onset of the allergy has been reported, but scientific data is scarce. Symptoms reach from typical gastrointestinal problems to severe systemic reactions. EWA and the fear of allergic reactions lead to drastic restrictions in diet as in social life of the affected individuals. This study aims to assess health related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with EWA using the validated questionnaire “Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire - adult form (FAQoLQ-AF)” and Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM). Between July 2023 and October 2023, 16 adults with hen’s egg white allergy were identified and questioned using the FAQoLQ-AF to evaluate HRQoL. Patients’ characteristics were obtained including age at allergy onset and the most severe allergic symptom. The results were summarized using descriptive statistical analysis. HRQoL was impaired in 16/16 allergic individuals with an overall mean score of 4.64/7 (SD 1.3). Self-assessed emotional impact of the EWA was more problematic than food allergy related health. Food Allergy Independence Measure (FAIM) mean score was 4.64 (SD 1.0) with highest result in product avoidance. The most frequent occurring symptoms were oral allergy syndrome and stomach pain in 7 (44%) patients each. This study shows impaired HRQoL in a small cohort of adults with hen’s egg white allergy using the FAQoLQ and FAIM questionnaire with special emphasis on emotional impact. We identified an urgent need for correct food labelling and research into safe treatment options to improve HRQoL.