Intestinal inflammation in children with atopic eczema: faecal eosinophil cationic protein and tumour necrosis factor‐α as non‐invasive indicators of food allergy

作者：Heli Majamaa, Anneli Miettinen, Seppo Laine, Erika Isolauri · 发表于：Clinical & Experimental Allergy · 年份：1996 · DOI：10.1111/j.1365-2222.1996.tb00078.x · 被引用次数：104 · 研究领域：Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Research、Eosinophilic Esophagitis、Asthma and respiratory diseases

BACKGROUND: Food allergy is contemplated in atopic eczema. Early recognition of food allergies is difficult and the diagnosis is often missed because of the non-specificity of symptoms. New non-invasive tests are clearly needed. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: We measured the concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, eosinophil cationic protein and alpha-1 antitrypsin in faeces as indicators of intestinal inflammation induced by double-blind placebo-controlled oral cow's milk challenge in infants and young children with atopic eczema. RESULTS: An increased alpha-1 antitrypsin concentration (> 2 mg/g) after cow's milk challenge was detected in 43% of the infants positive as compared with 11% of the infants negative to challenge, P = 0.02. The concentration of eosinophil cationic protein in faeces increased after cow's milk challenge in patients positive to challenge (P = 0.02) but not in those negative to challenge (P = 0.79). The concentration of eosinophil cationic protein was enhanced particularly in patients manifesting immediate-type reactions to the cow's milk challenge. The concentration of tumour necrosis factor-alpha increased after cow's milk challenge in patients positive to challenge (P = 0.005) but not in those negative to challenge (P = 0.25). The concentration of tumour necrosis factor-alpha in faeces was enhanced particularly in patients manifesting delayed-type reactions to the cow's milk challenge. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in children with atopic eczema food...