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Cow's-milk allergy is a risk factor for the development of FGIDs in children

Miguel Saps1, Peter Lu, Silvana Bonilla

  • 1Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Gastrointestinal Motility and Functional Bowel Disorders Program, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. msaps@childrensmemorial.org

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|October 27, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) in infancy is a significant risk factor for developing functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) later in childhood. Children with a history of CMA showed a higher prevalence of GI symptoms and FGID diagnoses compared to controls.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Allergy and Immunology
  • Child Health

Background:

  • Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are prevalent in children, with unknown multifactorial causes.
  • Early-life noninfectious gastrointestinal inflammation, such as cow's milk allergy (CMA), is hypothesized to predispose children to FGIDs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if a history of cow's milk allergy (CMA) in the first year of life increases the risk of developing functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in childhood.
  • To compare the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms and FGID diagnoses between children with and without a history of CMA.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 52 children diagnosed with CMA in infancy and 53 healthy siblings as controls.
  • Participants were aged 4–18 years.
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed using the Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rome III version questionnaire.

Main Results:

  • Children with a history of CMA reported significantly more gastrointestinal symptoms (44.2% vs. 20.75%) and were diagnosed with FGIDs (19.2% vs. 0%) compared to controls.
  • Abdominal pain was a significantly more common symptom in the CMA group (30.8% vs. 9.43%).
  • The odds of FGID diagnosis were substantially higher in children with a history of CMA.

Conclusions:

  • Cow's milk allergy (CMA) in early childhood is identified as a significant risk factor for the development of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs).
  • These findings suggest a link between early-life allergic inflammation and later development of FGIDs.
Abstract

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