Cashew nut allergy tests and risk factors in 66 patients
What it found
In 66 people tested for cashew nut allergy, a past quick reaction and high allergy blood markers predicted a positive test result.
Five of the twelve who reacted had anaphylaxis.
What they found
Studies in people
Positive test results
Twelve out of 66 patients, or 18.2%, reacted during the supervised eating test. Six out of eight patients who had reacted quickly to cashews before also reacted again.
Severe reactions
Five of the twelve patients who reacted experienced anaphylaxis, which is 42% of those who reacted.
Blood marker levels
Patients who reacted had higher levels of cashew-specific allergy antibodies in their blood compared to those who did not react. This difference was statistically significant.
Predicting reactions without history
For patients who had never reacted quickly to cashews before, a blood antibody level above 66.1 kUA/L strongly predicted a positive test result.
What the authors conclude
- They found that a past quick reaction to cashews and high allergy antibody levels were risk factors for reacting during the test.
- The authors note that while few patients reacted overall, the chance of anaphylaxis among those who did was high.
- They advise doctors to think carefully before testing patients with past reactions and to avoid testing those without past reactions if their antibody levels are above 66.1 kUA/L.
How it was done
Cashew nuts can trigger serious allergic responses. Scientists wanted to learn more about what happens when patients eat small amounts under medical supervision to check for allergies.
Researchers looked back at records from 66 patients, mostly children, who ate over 3 grams of cashew nuts during supervised allergy tests between 2006 and 2014. They measured specific allergy antibodies in the blood over one year. The group included 48 boys or men and 18 girls or women with a median age of 7.0 years.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This study looked back at past medical records rather than assigning treatments randomly.
- It can show links between blood markers and reactions but cannot prove that high markers cause the reactions on their own.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Sagamihara National Hospital, Japan
The paper
- Title
- Risk Factors and Clinical Features in Cashew Nut Oral Food Challenges
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Inoue T, Ogura K, Takahashi K, et al (2018). Risk Factors and Clinical Features in Cashew Nut Oral Food Challenges. International archives of allergy and immunology. doi:10.1159/000486120PubMed 29342459DOI
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error