Soy allergy in infants and children with IgE-associated cow's milk allergy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of soy allergy in IgE-associated cow's milk allergy (CMA).


METHODS
Children <3.5 years with documented IgE-associated CMA (n = 93) were evaluated for soy allergy by double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge, open challenge, or convincing previous history of an anaphylactic reaction to soy. Children tolerant to soy at entry received soy formula and were followed up for 1 year.


RESULTS
Of this IgE-associated CMA cohort (ages 3 to 41 months), 14% (95% CI = 7. 7%-22.7%) were determined to have soy allergy, 12 definitely at entry and 1 possibly after 1 year of soy ingestion. The latter child experienced severe failure to thrive at enrollment and exhibited improved growth while receiving soy during follow-up but was diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis at study completion. Improved growth (P <.05) occurred in the non-soy-allergic cohort ingesting soy formula (579 31 mL/d) during the year of follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Soy allergy occurs in only a small minority of young children with IgE-associated CMA. As such, soy formula may provide a safe and growth-promoting alternative for the majority of children with IgE-associated CMA shown to be soy tolerant at the time of introduction of soy formula.
Zeiger
R S
RS
Department of Allergy, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center and Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
Sampson
H A
HA
Bock
S A
SA
Burks
A W
AW
Harden
K
K
Noone
S
S
Martin
D
D
Leung
S
S
Wilson
G
G
D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D007159:Immunologic Tests; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D030262:Soybean Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D030262:Soybean Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E