Impact of cow's milk allergy on enterocolitis associated with Hirschsprung's disease.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of cow's milk allergy (CMA) on infants with Hirschsprung's disease (HD).

METHODS

Twenty-four patients, who developed gastrointestinal symptoms before the age of 60 days and underwent surgery for HD in the period between January 2003 and December 2012, were enrolled in this study. They were divided into two groups based on CMA-related findings: stimulation index of lymphocyte stimulation test >300 % and the presence of eosinophilic infiltration in the resected colon. Ten patients were determined specimen as not having CMA (Group A), because they did not satisfy any of the criteria. The remaining 14 were determined as having possible CMA (Group B), because they satisfied either or both findings. Patient background characteristics, pre- and postoperative clinical history, and laboratory data were compared between Groups A and B.

RESULTS

Pre- and postoperative enterocolitis did not occur in Group A patients. Postoperative enterocolitis was more frequent in Group B than in Group A (p = 0.04). Other clinical and laboratory data did not show significant difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

CMA is a possible risk factor for postoperative enterocolitis in patients with HD.