Basophil Activation Test with Food Additives in Chronic Urticaria Patients
A 19 year-old female high school student with recurrent urticaria visited the allergy clinic. She complained of recurrent episodes of localized urticaria and erythematous rashes on face. She had been experiencing urticarial symptoms that had developed after eating a school meal. Her past medical history or family history was unremarkable for allergic diseases. Laboratory findings including peripheral eosinophil count and serum total IgE were within the normal range. The result of an autologous serum skin test was also negative. There were no food allergens which positively reacted to the skin prick test. In BAT, only sodium benzoate activated basophils significantly (37.5% activation; ). After she abstained from the food additives by avoiding the relevant processed foods, her urticarial symptoms were resolved dramatically without further anti-histamine medications.