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Impact of cow's milk allergy on enterocolitis associated with Hirschsprung's disease
Satoshi Umeda1, Hisayoshi Kawahara, Akihiro Yoneda
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, 840 Murodo-cho Izumi, Osaka, 594-1101, Japan, s_umeda3104@yahoo.co.jp.
Insights
Cow's milk allergy (CMA) may increase the risk of postoperative enterocolitis in infants with Hirschsprung's disease (HD). Further research is needed to confirm this association in pediatric surgery patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Gastroenterology
- Allergy Immunology
Background:
- Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a congenital condition affecting the large intestine.
- Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is common in infants and can cause gastrointestinal distress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential impact of cow's milk allergy (CMA) on infants diagnosed with Hirschsprung's disease (HD).
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 24 infants undergoing HD surgery was divided into two groups: those with (Group B, n=14) and without (Group A, n=10) CMA indicators.
- CMA was determined by lymphocyte stimulation tests and eosinophilic infiltration in resected colon tissue.
- Clinical and laboratory data were compared between the two groups.
Main Results:
- No pre- or postoperative enterocolitis was observed in infants without CMA (Group A).
- Infants with possible CMA (Group B) experienced a higher incidence of postoperative enterocolitis compared to Group A (p=0.04).
- No significant differences were found in other clinical or laboratory parameters between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Cow's milk allergy (CMA) may represent a risk factor for developing postoperative enterocolitis in infants with Hirschsprung's disease (HD).
- This finding suggests a potential link between allergic reactions and complications following HD surgery.
Purpose:
To investigate the impact of cow's milk allergy (CMA) on infants with Hirschsprung's disease (HD).
Methods:
Twenty-four patients, who developed gastrointestinal symptoms before the age of 60 days and underwent surgery for HD in the period between January 2003 and December 2012, were enrolled in this study. They were divided into two groups based on CMA-related findings: stimulation index of lymphocyte stimulation test >300 % and the presence of eosinophilic infiltration in the resected colon. Ten patients were determined specimen as not having CMA (Group A), because they did not satisfy any of the criteria. The remaining 14 were determined as having possible CMA (Group B), because they satisfied either or both findings. Patient background characteristics, pre- and postoperative clinical history, and laboratory data were compared between Groups A and B.
Results:
Pre- and postoperative enterocolitis did not occur in Group A patients. Postoperative enterocolitis was more frequent in Group B than in Group A (p = 0.04). Other clinical and laboratory data did not show significant difference between the two groups.
Conclusion:
CMA is a possible risk factor for postoperative enterocolitis in patients with HD.
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