Soy allergy is not common in atopic children: a multicenter study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of soy allergy (positive skin test and positive challenge test) in a large cohort of atopic children, many of them soy fed early in life for several months. In order to investigate the prevalence of soy allergy, two groups of children were enrolled into the study. The first group comprised a cohort of 505 children with personal history suggestive of food allergy. The second group included 243 children born of atopic parents, who had been soy protein formula fed for the first six months of life for the prevention of cow's milk allergy and who had been prospectively followed up, from birth to 5 years. As regards the prevalence of soy allergy in the cohort of children suffering from allergic disease: 31/505 children (6%) had positive skin prick test to soy, however only six of the 31 children with positive skin prick test to soy had positive challenge test to soy. With regard to the prevalence of soy allergy in the children who had been soy protein formula fed in the first six months of life (second group): 14/243 children (6%) had positive skin prick test to soy, but the double blind placebo control oral food challenge to soy was positive in only one of these 14 children. In conclusion documented soy allergy is not common in atopic children.