Food additives intolerance: does it present as perennial rhinitis?

Head of the Allergy Unit, San Carlo Clinic, Paderno Dugnano (MI), Italy. r.asero@libero.it

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A case report published in 2001 raised the possibility that some patients with long-lasting 'nonallergic' perennial rhinitis might in effect have food additives intolerance. The recent literature published in English was reviewed to find controlled studies able to confirm this observation. RECENT FINDINGS: Two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies published between August 2002 and July 2003 confirmed the above observation. The prevalence of additives intolerance among individuals with 'nonallergic' perennial rhinitis is about 5%. The pathogenic mechanisms involved remain unclear. SUMMARY: Intolerance to food additives may sometimes present as perennial rhinitis. Clinicians should consider this possibility before they definitively dismiss patients as 'nonallergic'.

PMID: 15090915 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]