World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guidelines

Abstract

T here are no surveys of population and geographical trends in food allergy in adults or children (though the situation is different in pediatric asthma and rhinitis) and this unmet need is particularly felt for CMA. The perception of milk allergy is far more frequent than confirmed CMA. Patient reports of CMA range between 1 and 17.5%, 1 and 13.5%, and 1 to 4% in preschoolers, at children 5 to 16 years of age and adults respectively. Cow's milk-specific IgE sensitization point prevalence progressively decreased from about 4% at 2 years to less than 1% at 10 years of age in the German Multi-Centre Allergy Study. The most reliable data in epidemiology are those from birth cohorts that are free from selection bias. There are 5 such challenge-confirmed studies. The CMA prevalence during infancy ranged from 1.9% in a Finnish study, 2.16% in the Isle of Wight, 2.22% in a study from Denmark, 2.24% in the Netherlands, and up to 4.9% in Norway.