Diet Intervention Study through Telemedicine Assistance for Systemic Nickel Allergy Syndrome Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Main Authors: Eleonora Nucera, Angela Rizzi, Raffaella Chini, Sara Giangrossi, Franziska Michaela Lohmeyer, Giuseppe Parrinello, Tania Musca, Giacinto Abele Donato Miggiano, Antonio Gasbarrini, Riccardo Inchingolo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: telemedicine; telenutrition; COVID-19; food allergy; systemic nickel allergy syndrome; balanced diet
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/8/2897

Background: Restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic limited patients’ access to hospital care. The aims of this study were to assess dietary nutritional status, quality of life (QoL), and adherence to dietary therapy before and after 30-day personalized diet therapy through telenutrition tools in patients with systemic nickel allergic syndrome (SNAS). Methods: Each SNAS patient underwent the following allergological procedures: (a) face-to-face visit (nutritional visit and QoL evaluation) with prescription of one out of five personalized and balanced dietary plans different for calorie intake, (b) video call visit for dietary evaluation and assessment of adherence to diet after 15 days, and (c) video call visit for dietary and QoL evaluation and assessment of adherence to diet therapy after 30 days (end of study). Results: We enrolled 20 SNAS patients. After 15 and 30 days, we found a statistically significant improvement in anthropometric findings after diet therapy, a significant adherence rate to low-nickel diet (60% and 80%, respectively), and an improvement in QoL with an increase in almost all psychometric indices. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that telenutrition can be a valid tool to monitor nutritional status and adherence to balanced low-Ni diet positively affecting QoL in SNAS patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.