[Incidence of IgE-mediated allergy to cow's milk proteins in the first year of life].
OBJECTIVE
To study the incidence of IgE-mediated allergy to cow's milk proteins during the first year of life.


METHODS
A multicenter, prospective study of newborns selected from different health centers was performed. The newborn infants were followed-up during the first year of life. Newborns with suspected adverse reaction to cow's milk were sent to the referral hospital for diagnostic study. This study was based on clinical history, skin tests (skin prick test) and on determination of specific IgE in serum (Pharmacia CAP system) against cow's milk and its protein fractions. Diagnosis was confirmed by open challenge.


RESULTS
A total of 1,663 newborns were followed-up during the first year of life. Adverse reaction was suspected in 56 infants (3.3%). Allergy to cow's milk proteins was confirmed in 6 infants (0.36 %). Eighty-three percent of (5/6) children with cow's milk allergy had first-degree relatives with atopic disease compared with 19 % of children (329/1657) without cow's milk allergy. Among the entire sample, 26 infants had first-degree relatives with atopic disease and one of these infants (3.8%) developed cow milk allergy. The six children with cow's milk allergy were exclusively breast-fed, and clinical reaction developed within 1 week of the introduction of artificial feeding.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of IgE-mediated allergy to cow's milk was 0.36 %. In infants with two first-degree family members with atopic disease, the probability of developing allergy to cow's milk proteins during the first year of life was 3.8%.
Sanz Ortega
J
J
Centro de Salud de Paterna. Valencia. Secciones de Alergia Infantil. Servicios de Pediatría. josesanz@wanadoo.es
Martorell Aragonés
A
A
Michavila Gómez
A
A
Nieto García
A
A
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D008894:Milk Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E