The link between food allergy and atopic dermatitis

Food allergy (FA) is an abnormal or exaggerated specific immune response that occurs repeatedly when exposed to certain foods. The relationship between food allergies and AD is still much debated today. Some evidence supports that AD can play a role as a predisposing factor for food allergies and conversely, food allergens are also suspected as one of the triggers of AD exacerbations. Role of diet in the cause and treatment of AD is controversial and is not well-defined. Food elimination diets in food allergic cases may have a beneficial effect on AD morbidity, however prolonged diets can lead to loss of tolerance and potentially increase the risk of IgE-mediated food allergy. Emollient treatment, hidrolized formulas, vitamin D, early introduction of food allergens appears to be a promising strategy for minimizing the public health burden of food allergy in AD, though further studies of this approach is needed.