Food allergy in adults. Is there a difference between HIV and non-HIV patients?

Background

Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection is known to cause significant immunological changes, including a shift towards a Th2-dominant immune response, which is typically associated with allergic conditions. However, the relationship between HIV infection and the incidence of food allergies remains unclear.

Objective

This study aims to investigate the incidence of food allergies in HIV-infected patients compared to a non-HIV population.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study utilized observational data including individuals diagnosed with HIV between 2004 and 2023. A control group matched for age and sex (1:60) was created from non-HIV individuals. Data on allergic conditions were extracted using ICD9 codes, and statistical analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazards models to assess the effect of HIV on food allergy incidence over a 10-year follow-up period.

Results

The study included 1616 HIV-positive patients and 95,773 controls. While higher rates of asthma and atopic dermatitis were observed in the HIV group, no cases of food allergy were detected among HIV patients, compared to 185 cases in the non-HIV cohort. The adjusted hazard ratios indicated that factors such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, vitamin D insufficiency, and kidney transplantation were associated with increased food allergy risk in the non-HIV population.

Conclusion

Despite the Th2-dominant immune environment associated with HIV infection, no increased risk of food allergy was observed in HIV-positive individuals over a 10-year period. This suggests that the immunological alterations caused by HIV may not predispose patients to food allergies as they do to other allergic conditions.