Latex allergy in children: a follow-up study

Abstract

Strict compliance with latex avoidance instructions is essential both inside and outside the hospital. Greater emphasis should be placed on reducing latex exposure in the home and school environments, as such contact could maintain positive IgE-antibody levels.

Secondary prevention of latex allergy

“…Only few follow-up studies focusing on small samples of allergic patients have been conducted to determine the long-term outcome outside the hospital setting but some of them were able to highlight the possible benefits of latex avoidance. In a 2006 investigation (with a median followup of 3 years) Die ´guez Pastor et al [53] showed that specific-IgE to latex were higher in patients who had contact with latex compared with those who completely avoided it, and a recent study conducted by Dhonncha et al [55] showed that a proportion of patients who managed to avoid latex for a period of time (median follow-up of 16 years) no longer showed clinical signs of latex allergy. Further larger studies are certainly needed to determine the prognostic significance of latex avoidance.…”

“…Overall, latex exposure remains a persistent risk for allergic patients, and many studies have showed practical difficulties for them to translate latex avoidance into action even after being thoroughly advised [51][52][53][54]. Only few follow-up studies focusing on small samples of allergic patients have been conducted to determine the long-term outcome outside the hospital setting but some of them were able to highlight the possible benefits of latex avoidance.…”