469 - Associations Between Food Allergy and Adverse Event Outcomes Among Medicaid-Enrolled Children With Asthma

Publication Number: 469.3651

Megan R. Hunter Patt, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, LITTLE ROCK, AR, United States; Melanie Boyd, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States; Arina Eyimina, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES, Little Rock, AR, United States; Clare C. Brown, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States; Erhan Ararat, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Little Rock, AR, United States; Mandana Rezaeiahari, UAMS, Little Rock, AR, United States; J Mick Tilford, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States; Tamara Perry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Little Rock, AR, United States; Stacie M.. Jones, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Little Rock, AR, United States; Akilah A. Jefferson, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States

Background: Approximately 7.6% of children have food allergies, a condition that frequently coexists with asthma. Poorly controlled asthma significantly increases the risk of adverse outcomes during food-induced anaphylaxis. This overlap between asthma and food allergies presents a unique challenge in pediatric health, as children with both conditions may face heightened risks for complications.

Objective: This study investigates the association between food allergies and asthma-related adverse events (AAEs) in children with asthma. Specifically, it examines the relationship between food allergies and asthma-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations to better understand the risks and potential impacts of coexisting asthma and food allergies in pediatric patients.

Design/Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of Medicaid-enrolled children with asthma aged 5-18 years using the Arkansas All-Payers Claims Database (2018-2019). Propensity score matching balanced demographic factors, comorbidities, insurance, medications, utilization, and socioeconomic factors among children with and without food allergies. Multivariable logistic regression assessed the relationship between food allergies and AAEs.

Results: A total of 21,900 children with asthma were identified and of those 4.6% had food allergy. In the matched cohort (n=1,996), the adjusted rate of AAEs in 2019 was 3.9 percentage points higher in children with food allergies compared to those without (14.3% vs. 10.4%; p=0.03), equating to a 37% increase in the odds of an AAE (aOR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.85). Black children were significantly more likely to have an AAE (p=0.01), but concomitant food allergy did not differentially impact AAEs across racial or ethnic groups.

Conclusion(s): Children with both asthma and food allergies experience more AAEs, highlighting the need for integrated management strategies. Our findings emphasize the importance of a comprehensive approach to care, where providers assess the coexistence of asthma and food allergy, evaluate the baseline risk for AAEs, and implement effective therapies and prevention strategies to improve overall patient outcomes.