IBS Skin Patch Test Food Allergy Study
Start Date
8/15/2023
Completion Date
12/1/2026
Summary
Participants with IBS are skin patch tested (no needles) to 80 different foods and food additives, compounded for patch testing, in search of food allergies. The testing requires 3 office visits within a 4 or 5 day period. The patches are taped to the back at Visit #. At Visit #2 48 hours later, the patches are removed from the skin and the outside border of each patch is marked with a felt tip marker. At Visit #3 (final visit) 1 or 2 days later, the patch test reading is performed by the doctor-investigator. An allergy is identified as a small red mark where the food was in contact with the skin for 48 hours. Those participants found to have food allergies are then placed on an avoidance diet (no calorie restriction) for 16 weeks where they either avoid eating the food(s) to which they are allergic (the \"true\" avoidance diet) or food(s) to which the testing did not show an allergy (this is called the \"sham\" avoidance diet). There is a 50/50 chance of going on either avoidance diet. The avoidance diet is assigned in such a way that neither the participant or the doctor-investigator knows which diet is being followed. After the 16 weeks, the participants answers a brief online questionnaire that asks about the IBS symptoms while following the avoidance diet. After the 16 week avoidance diet and final questionnaire are completed, those participants who were on the sham diet will be told of their true food allergies which they may try avoiding on their own.
Detailed Description
See above. When all 250 study participants have finished all parts of the study, the results will be made known to the doctor-investigators for data analysis.
Eligibility Criteria
Age Range: 18 years to No maximum
Interventions
True avoidance diet
Sham avoidance diet
Conditions
Locations
North Wales Dermatology, PLLC
North Wales, Pennsylvania 19454
United States
Shepherd Allergy
Barboursville, West Virginia 25504
United States