Cow's milk protein intolerance in children is connected with impaired lymphoblastic responses to mitogens....

The lymphoblastic responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes to mitogens were analyzed in 36 infants and children aged 1-28 months. The patients had confirmed or suspected cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI). Immediately after a positive provocation test 12 out of 14 patients with repeatedly confirmed CMPI showed more than 30% decrease of their lymphoblastic responses to pokeweed mitogen and concanavalin A compared with their initial values. In 10 infants the response to phytohemagglutinin was similarly decreased. In 4 out of 12 infants with previously confirmed CMPI, but with no reaction at challenge, similar decreases were seen to some of the mitogens. In patients with suspected CMPI, but with no obvious reaction to the challenge with cow's milk, generally an increase of the lymphoblastic responses was seen compared with the initial values.