Feeding difficulties in children with food protein-induced gastrointestinal allergies.
OBJECTIVE
There is paucity of data on the prevalence of feeding difficulties in Food Protein-Induced Gastrointestinal Allergies (FPIGA) and their clinical characteristics. However, it is a commonly reported problem by clinicians. We set out to establish the occurrence of feeding difficulties in children with FPIGA, the association with gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms and number of foods eliminated from the diet.


METHODS
This retrospective observational analysis was performed in patients seen between 2002 and 2009 at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, Gastroenterology Department, London. Medical records where FPIGA was documented using the terms from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and National Institute of Clinical Excellence and confirmed using an elimination diet, followed by a challenge were included. Feeding difficulties were assessed using a criteria previously used in healthy toddlers in the UK.


RESULTS
Data from 437 children (203 female) were collected. Significantly more children with feeding difficulties presented with abdominal distention and bloating (P = 0.002), vomiting (P < 0.0001), weight loss (P < 0.0001), rectal bleeding (P = 0.025), and constipation (P < 0.0001). We also found that having extra-intestinal manifestations were significantly (P < 0.0001) associated with the presence of feeding difficulties. Additionally, a significantly higher number of foods eliminated from the diet in the children with/without feeding difficulties (P = 0.028).


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical manifestations like vomiting, constipation, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and the presence of extra-intestinal manifestations in addition to the number of foods avoided are in our FPIGA population linked to feeding difficulties.
Gastroenterology, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London, UK.
Rosan
R
Meyer
Nathalie
N
Rommel
Lukas
L
Van Oudenhove
Catharine
C
Fleming
Robert
R
Dziubak
Neil
N
Shah
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D004044:Dietary Proteins
feeding difficulties; food allergy; gastrointestinal symptoms; non-IgE-mediated allergies