Egg white allergy test results in people with low antibodies
What it found
In people with low levels of egg white or ovomucoid antibodies, more than 80% passed an oral food challenge with hen's egg without symptoms.
The results did not depend on how much egg was given.
What they found
Studies in people
Low egg white antibodies
501 people (24.3%) had low egg white specific IgE (class 2 or lower). Of these, 86.4% (433 of 501) passed the oral food challenge without symptoms.
Low ovomucoid antibodies
926 people (45.0%) had low ovomucoid specific IgE (class 2 or lower). Of these, 82.6% (765 of 926) passed the oral food challenge without symptoms.
Other antibody levels
People with low egg white IgE had lower total IgE and ovomucoid IgE than those with high egg white IgE (greater than class 2). People with low ovomucoid IgE had lower total IgE and egg white IgE than those with high ovomucoid IgE (greater than class 2).
Dose and challenge result
The oral food challenge results were independent of the loading dose in cases with low egg white or ovomucoid IgE.
What the authors conclude
“As the OFC results are independent of the loading dose in cases with low EW- or OVM-sIgE, a medium-dose HE-OFC may be performed safely in individuals with no history of anaphylaxis.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that more than 80% of individuals with suspected IgE-dependent hen's egg allergy and low levels of egg white or ovomucoid specific IgE were able to consume at least a small amount of hen's egg.
- They advise that a medium-dose hen's egg oral food challenge may be performed safely in individuals with no history of anaphylaxis, because the challenge results are independent of the loading dose in those with low egg white or ovomucoid specific IgE.
How it was done
Oral food challenges carry a risk of reactions, including severe ones, so doctors need to know how they turn out in people with low egg white and ovomucoid antibody levels.
They looked at 2,058 people with low egg white or ovomucoid specific IgE who had a hen's egg oral food challenge at two institutions in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan, between January 2017 and December 2021. The challenge was done within a year of the antibody measurement, using the 2017 Food Allergy Guidelines in an open, unblinded way.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This study did not compare the challenge against a placebo or another test, so it cannot show how often people would have passed without the challenge.
- It only included people with low antibody levels, so the results do not apply to those with higher levels.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
- Authors work at
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences Kumamoto University, Japan; National Hospital Organization Kumamoto Medical Center, Japan; Kumamoto University Hospital, Japan
The paper
- Title
- Safety of Oral Food Challenge for Individuals with Low Egg White and Ovomucoid-Specific IgE Antibodies
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Ogata M, Yoshida T, Kido J, et al (2024). Safety of Oral Food Challenge for Individuals with Low Egg White and Ovomucoid-Specific IgE Antibodies. International archives of allergy and immunology. doi:10.1159/000531955Free full textPubMed 37725920DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error