Milk hypersensitivity--key to poorly defined gastrointestinal symptoms in adults.
Lactose intolerance is a common adverse reaction to milk in adults, while milk hypersensitivity is a disorder of infancy. We hypothesized that milk hypersensitivity may cause many unspecific gastrointestinal disorders in adults. Twenty adults were subjected to double-blind, placebo-controlled milk challenge. Phagocyte activity, and Fc gamma and complement receptor expression of phagocytes were assayed, and serum total IgE, milk-specific IgE, and serum reactivity to milk protein were determined. The challenge increased phagocyte activity and complement receptor expression of phagocytes in subjects designated milk-hypersensitive, who had gastrointestinal symptoms from milk ingestion but normal lactose tolerance. The increase was not detected in lactose-intolerant or control subjects. The milk-hypersensitive group was also distinguished from the lactose-intolerant group by enhanced serum reactivity to milk protein. Only two out of nine milk-hypersensitive subjects had detectable milk-specific serum IgE. It is concluded that milk hypersensitivity in adults, occurring as gastrointestinal reactions, may be more common than previously thought.
Pelto
L
L
Department of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, University of Turku, Finland.
Salminen
S
S
Lilius
E M
EM
Nuutila
J
J
Isolauri
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007787:Lactose Intolerance / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000032:analysis; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000032:analysis
D008894:Milk Proteins; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D007073:Immunoglobulin E