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Objectives: To compare the impact of different formulas on the occurrence of other atopic manifestations and the time of immune tolerance acquisition., Study Design: In a 36-month prospective cohort study, the occurrence of other atopic manifestations (eczema, urticaria, asthma, and rhinoconjunctivitis) and the time of immune tolerance acquisition were comparatively evaluated in immunoglobulin E-mediated children with cow's milk allergy (CMA) treated with extensively hydrolyzed casein formula containing the probiotic L. rhamnosus GG (EHCF + LGG), rice hydrolyzed formula, soy formula, extensively hydrolyzed whey formula (EHWF), or amino acid-based formula., Results: In total, 365 subjects were enrolled into the study, 73 per formula cohort. The incidence of atopic manifestations was 0.22 (Bonferroni-corrected 95% CI 0.09-0.34) in the EHCF + LGG cohort; 0.52 (0.37-0.67) in the rice hydrolyzed formula cohort; 0.58 (0.43-0.72) in the soy formula cohort; 0.51 (0.36-0.66) in the EHWF cohort; and 0.77 (0.64-0.89) in the amino acid-based formula cohort. The incidence of atopic manifestations in the rice hydrolyzed formula, soy formula, EHWF, and amino acid-based formula cohorts vs the EHCF + LGG cohort was always greater than the prespecified absolute difference of 0.25 at an alpha-level of 0.0125, with corresponding risk ratios of 2.37 (1.46-3.86, P < .001) for rice hydrolyzed formula vs EHCF + LGG; 2.62 (1.63-4.22, P < .001) for soy formula vs EHCF + LGG; 2.31 (1.42-3.77, P < .001) for EHWF vs EHCF + LGG; and 3.50 (2.23-5.49, P < .001) for amino acid-based formula vs EHCF + LGG. The 36-month immune tolerance acquisition rate was greater in the EHCF + LGG cohort., Conclusions: The use of EHCF + LGG for CMA treatment is associated with lower incidence of atopic manifestations and greater rate of immune tolerance acquisition., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To examine the effects of food avoidance on the growth of children with food allergies., Study Design: A retrospective chart review was performed for children with and without food allergies followed at 2 New York City general pediatric practices. Charts were selected based on codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, for well child visit, food allergy, anaphylaxis, and/or epinephrine autoinjector prescriptions. Heights and weights were obtained to calculate body mass index, height, and weight z-scores., Results: Of the 9938 children seen, 439 (4.4%) were avoiding one or more foods. Of those with commercial insurance, children with food allergies were significantly shorter (mean height z-score = 0.06; P = .01) and weighed less (mean weight z-score -0.1; P = .006) than children without food allergies (mean height z-score = 0.42; mean weight z-score = 0.07). In contrast, children with food allergies and state insurance were not smaller in height or weight compared with children without food allergies. Among white subjects, there was a significant effect of food allergies on height and weight (ANOVA for height P = .012, for weight P = .0036) that was not observed for Hispanic/Latino, black, or Asian subjects. Children with allergies to milk weighed significantly less than children without milk allergies (P = .0006)., Conclusions: Children with food allergies and commercial insurance have significant impairment in growth compared with those without food allergies. Additionally, children avoiding all forms of milk are shorter and weigh less than matched counterparts. Therefore, height and weight measurements should be assessed routinely in children with food allergies because there is risk for growth impairment in this population., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To determine the benefits of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) in an extensively hydrolyzed casein formula (EHCF) in improving hematochezia and fecal calprotectin over EHCF alone., Study Design: Fecal calprotectin was compared in 30 infants with hematochezia and 4 weeks after milk elimination with that of a healthy group. We also compared fecal calprotectin and hematochezia on 26 formula-fed infants randomly assigned to EHCF with LGG (Nutramigen LGG) (EHCF + LGG) or without (Nutramigen) (EHCF - LGG) and on 4 breastfed infants whose mothers eliminated dairy., Results: Fecal calprotectin in those with hematochezia was significantly higher than in comparisons (mean +/- SD 325.89 +/- 152.31 vs 131.97 +/- 37.98 microg/g stool, t = 6.79, P < .0001). At 4 weeks, fecal calprotectin decreased to 50% of baseline but was still significantly higher than in comparisons (157.5 +/- 149.13 vs 93.72 +/- 36.65 microg/g, P = .03). Fecal calprotectin mean decrease was significantly larger among EHCF + LGG compared with EHCF - LGG (-214.5 +/- 107.93 vs -112.7 +/- 105.27 microg/g, t = 2.43, P = .02). At 4 weeks, none of the EHCF + LGG had blood in stools, and 5/14 on EHCF - LGG did (P = .002)., Conclusion: Fecal calprotectin is elevated in infants with hematochezia and possible allergic colitis. EHCF + LGG resulted in significant improvement of hematochezia and fecal calprotectin compared with the EHCF alone., (Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the incidence of cow's milk allergy as evidenced by milk challenge and the findings of endoscopic and immunohistochemical examinations in children with chronic and refractory constipation., Study Design: Thirty-five study subjects (mean age, 8.3 +/- 3.3 years; range, 3-15 years; 17 girls) and 15 control subjects (mean age, 11.7 +/- 3.2 years; range, 2-15 years; 9 girls) were studied by colonoscopy and a 4-week cow's milk elimination and challenge., Results: Lymphoid nodular hyperplasia was the most prominent endoscopic finding in half of the subjects (46%), mostly occurring patchily in the transverse colon. Histologic findings other than lymphoid accumulation and mildly increased density of eosinophils were few. During the milk elimination and with supportive medication, 83% of subjects remitted. Constipation and/or other gastrointestinal or skin symptoms relapsed only in one third (34%) during the cow's milk challenge, these having significantly higher densities of intraepithelial gammadelta + T cells ( P <.001) in the biopsy samples of the terminal ileum as compared with the control subjects., Conclusions: We were able to find formal evidence for the presence of cow's milk allergy in children with chronic constipation.

Infants (n = 35) with digestive symptom were investigated for diagnosis of cow's milk allergy (CMA). Milk atopy patch tests (APTs) were positive in 19 of 24 CMA versus 1 of 11 in non-CMA patients (P <.001). This sensitivity (79%) and specificity (91%) suggest that the APT could improve the detection of conditions related to CMA.

Background: Distressed behavior is common in infants and is often attributed to gastroesophageal reflux (GER) or food protein intolerance., Objective: To examine the effect of a hypoallergenic amino acid-based infant formula (AAF) on distressed behavior and GER symptoms in infants who failed to respond to extensively hydrolyzed formula and antireflux medications., Study Design: Nineteen distressed infants (9 boys and 10 girls; median age, 5.0 months) with presumed GER underwent gastroscopy (n = 17) and esophageal 24-hour pH monitoring (n = 14). Double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) formula challenges of AAF versus previously besttolerated formula were conducted., Results: Nine infants had histologic evidence of esophagitis, and 9 had inflammatory changes in the stomach and/or duodenum. Symptoms remitted in all infants within 2 weeks of the start of feeding with AAF. On DBPC challenge after a median period of 3 months of receiving AAF, 12 infants were intolerant to active formula (distress score, 287 vs 580 min/wk,P =. 01; symptom score, 23.1 vs 36.1, P =.03). Seven infants did not relapse and were considered tolerant (distress score, 470 vs 581, P =.77; symptom score, 29.5 vs 20.2; P =.89)., Conclusion: Treatment with AAF may reduce distressed behavior and symptoms of GER in infants with food protein intolerance.

We report on the follow-up of 22 infants allergic to cow's milk proteins who did not tolerate extensively hydrolyzed protein formulas. After successful use of an amino acid-based diet for a duration of 11.8 +/- 8.7 months, evolution differed according to the presence or absence of associated allergy to other foods. Cow's milk protein tolerance occurred earlier in the patients (n = 9) whose allergy was limited to cow's milk proteins and to extensively hydrolyzed protein formulas.

Twenty-seven consecutive infants (mean age, 20.6 months) with chronic "idiopathic" constipation were studied to investigate the possible relation between constipation and cow milk protein allergy (CMPA). The infants were initially observed on an unrestricted diet, and the number of stools per day was recorded. Subsequently the infants were put on a diet free of cow milk protein (CMP) for two periods of 1 month each, separated by two challenges with CMP. During the CMP-free diet, there was a resolution of symptoms in 21 patients; during the two consecutive challenges, constipation reappeared within 48 to 72 hours. In another six patients the CMP-free diet did not lead to improvement of constipation. Only four of the patients who improved on the CMP-free diet had concomitant symptoms of suspected CMPA, but a medical history of CMPA was found in 15 of the 21 patients cured and in only one of the six patients whose condition had not improved (p < 0.05); in addition, in 15 of the 21 cured patients, results of one or more laboratory tests (specific IgE, IgG, anti-beta-lactoglobulin, circulating eosinophils) were positive at the time of diagnosis, indicating hypersensitivity, compared with one of the six patients whose condition did not improve (p < 0.05). The endoscopic and histologic findings at the time of diagnosis showed proctitis with monocytic infiltration in two patients cured with the CMP-free diet; after 1 month on this diet, they were completely normal. We conclude that constipation in infants may have an allergic pathogenesis.

A 4-year-old boy was found to have rickets associated with normal serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and high serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. These findings were thought to be the result of dietary calcium deficiency caused by the prolonged elimination from his diet of cow milk and milk products because of allergy. Adequate intake of calcium resulted in rapid improvement.

This article describes the terms used for the various syndromes and diseases associated with reactions to foods; it outlines the principal types of food intolerance encountered in children, with particular emphasis on those caused by immune-mediated reactions of immediate hypersensitivity. Terms defined include food intolerance or food sensitivity; food allergy or food hypersensitivity; psychologically based food reactions (food aversions); and psychosocial and neurologic dysfunction. The spectrum of food sensitivity is considerable, and diagnosis is generally based on the monitoring of effects of exclusion diets and provocation tests, after appropriate objective measures are first selected. In children, manifestations of IgE-mediated food allergy (often in association with other immune mechanisms) include self-limiting and immediate reactions (e.g., urticaria, wheeze) and chronic diseases (food-sensitive enteropathies, eczema). Controversial and unresolved issues exist with some other conditions, including eosinophilic gastroenteritis, occult gastrointestinal bleeding, protein-losing enteropathy, and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. New methods for clinical investigation of gastrointestinal tract function and intestinal immune reactions are required to assess the relevance of foods in these conditions.