Association between allergy and cow's milk protein intolerance and hemorrhagic enterocolitis in the first month of life

Abstract

Introduction. Cow’s milk protein allergy / intolerance, includes among its manifestations diarrhea, occasionally with blood (hemorrhagic proctocolitis). The aim of our study is to determine if there is relationship between patients with hemorrhagic proctocolitis and cow´s milk specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) elevation.

Subjects and methods. We studied patients youngerthan one month hospitalized at Hospital Infantil Niño Jesus’ breast-fed babies service since 2000 to 2006, diagnosed of cow’s milk protein intolerance. Age, sex, gestation time, type of childbirth, newborn weight, type of feeding, allergy familiar precedents, clinical manifestations, physical explorationfeatures and specific IgE were the variables we studied.

Results. 33 patients were included, 25 were males (69%). Bloody stools were found in 44% of the patients. Specific IgE was positive only in 15,1%. We found blood in stools in half of the patients who had presented diarrhea (8/16). Five patients presented specific IgE elevation but none of them had bloody stools.

Conclusions. Our study does not find relationship between hemorrhagic proctocolitis and the specific IgE positivization. However no mediated IgE cow’s milk protein allergy (intolerance) is not be able to rule out at patients with bloody stools.