685 Food Allergy - Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease Association in Infants

Abstract

Background Cow's milk allergy is considered to be the first and most common type of allergy during early infancy. Gastroesophageal reflux disease and cow's milk allergy are two different diseases with common clinical features. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical data in relation with gastroesophageal reflux and cow's milk allergy in infants. Material and Methods The prospective study includes 36 infants aged between 2-6 months who attended at Pediatric Clinic during the year 2011 for the clinical evocative manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux. Study protocol includes: clinical criteria, familial/ personal atopic features, mother diet, duration of breastfeeding, infant formula, esophageal ultrasonographic study, serum specific IgE cow's milk. Results The clinical presentations of the infants were associated or isolated agitation/irritability, feeding refusal (p<0.0002), poor weight gain (p<0.0001), vomiting, wheezing, apnea and atopic dermatitis. Specific Ig E revealed allergy in 10 cases. The implication of cow's milk allergy was in 10/36 cases (27.7%). The key elements evocating the link between cow's milk allergy and gastroesophageal reflux were the persistence of symptoms under anti-reflux therapy and the improvement of symptoms under the exclusion of cow's milk. Favorable clinical course, disappearance of symptoms, weight gain under anti-reflux therapy confirmed the gastroesophagial reflux in the other cases. Esophageal ultrasonography was a useful noninvasive test in patients with reflux. Conclusions Clinical assessment and allergy tests in infants with the suspicion of gastroesophageal reflux revealed the association of these diseases. The concomitant therapy was followed by clinical resolution of symptoms.