Pollen-Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS)

Have you ever eaten something and began feeling itchiness and tingling of your lips or throat? This could be due to PFAS, which stands for Pollen-Food Allergy Syndrome. PFAS is a hypersensitivity reaction that can occur in individuals who have seasonal allergic rhinitis. The symptoms are caused by a cross-reactivity between plant pollens and food proteins following the ingestion of certain fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Join medical student Ryan Boykin and Pediatric Allergist Dr. Sarah Spriet as they discuss the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of PFAS.  

After listening to this episode, leaners should be able to:

• Describe the pathophysiology of PFAS
• Understand the differences between PFAS and an IgE-mediated food allergy and identify the diagnostic studies that may aid in distinguishing between the two
• Recall common foods associated with PFAS and identify their cross-reactivity patterns
• Identify which patients are at greater risk of systemic reactions and when to prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector
• Identify when to refer patients to an Allergy & Immunology subspecialist

 Special thanks to Dr. Richard Bickel and Dr. Rebecca Yang for peer review of content of this episode.

FREE CME Credit (requires free sign-up): https://mcg.cloud-cme.com/course/courseoverview?P=0&EID=19510

References:

• Bolhaar ST, et. al. Efficacy of birch-pollen immunotherapy on cross-reactive food allergy confirmed by skin tests and double-blind food challenges. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004 May;34(5):761-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2004.1939.x. PMID: 15144469.
• Carlson, G., & Coop, C. (2019). Pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS): a review of current available literature. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 123(4), 359-365.
• Osterballe M, Hansen TK, Mortz CG, Bindslev-Jensen C. The clinical relevance of sensitization to pollen-related fruits and vegetables in unselected pollen-sensitized adults. Allergy. 2005 Feb;60(2):218-25. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00674.x. PMID: 15647044.
• Poncet, P., Sénéchal, H., & Charpin, D. (2020). Update on pollen-food allergy syndrome. Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, 16(6), 561-578.
• Priyamvada Tatachar, Smita Kumar; Food-induced Anaphylaxis and Oral Allergy Syndrome. Pediatr RevApril 2008; 29 (4): e23–e27. https://doi.org/10.1542/pir.29-4-e23
• Sicherer SH. Clinical implications of cross-reactive food allergens. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001 Dec;108(6):881-90. doi: 10.1067/mai.2001.118515. PMID: 11742262.
• Sicherer, S. H., Warren, C. M., Dant, C., Gupta, R. S., & Nadeau, K. C. (2020). Food allergy from infancy through adulthood. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 8(6), 1854-1864.