Clinical and anamnestic characteristics of children with gastrointestinal food alergy

Summary. The prevalence of food allergy is increasing, especially among children. The clinical manifestations of food allergy are different, they depend on the mechanisms of pathogenesis. There is a need to improve diagnostic criteria and early diagnosis of gastrointestinal manifestations of food allergy. Objective. Evaluation of gastrointestinal manifestations in children with food allergies. Materials and methods. Clinical and anamnestic data of 29 children (12 girls, 17 boys) with gastrointestinal manifestations and food allergy were analyzed. Results. Most often, gastrointestinal manifestations of food allergies were found in children aged 4 to 7 years (55.17%, 16/29). Epigastric pain (62.07%, 18/29), meteorism (24.14%, 7/29), undecorated stool with undigested food particles and mucus (27.59%, 8/29%) were most common among children with food allergies. The onset of gastrointestinal intolerance by the age of 6 months was in 44.8% (13/29) of children, 76.9% (10/13) of whom were exclusively breastfed. The first gastrointestinal manifestations after the introduction of supplementary feeding were in 20.69% (6/29); 10.34% (3/29) of patients had gastrointestinal complaints from 3 years of age, and 6.9% (2/29) of patients from 7 years of age. Gastrointestinal disorders as the first manifestation of allergic "march" was observed in 20.69% (6/29%) of patients. IgE-mediated food allergy was found in 72.41% (21/29) of the examined children: immediate gastrointestinal hypersensitivity - 65.51% (19/29); oral allergic syndrome - 6.89% (2/29). Non-IgE-mediated food allergy is represented by protein-induced enterocolitis and proctosigmoiditis in 27.58% (8/29) of children. Conclusions. Clinical symptoms of gastrointestinal manifestations of food allergy in children depend on the immunological mechanisms of its occurrence, it should be taken into during of diagnostic. Gastrointestinal food allergy should be diagnosed in time to prevent the evolution and progression of allergic "march". Therefore, it is necessary to develop and search methods and markers for timely diagnosis of these conditions.