Non-Invasive Indicators of Food Allergy on Children with Atopic Dermatitis.

¹Noha N Doghaim, ²Enas A El-Zammarany and ³Moustafa Awny.

¹Department of Dermatology, ²Clinical Pathology and ³Pediatric, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.

Food allergy is contemplated in atopic eczema. Early recognition of food allergies is difficult, new non-invasive tests are clearly needed. In this study we measured the concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF a), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and a-1 antitrypsin in feaces as indicators of intestinal inflammation induced by double-blind placebo- controlled oral cow’s milk challenge in infants with atopic eczema. An increased a -1 antitrypsin concentration after cow’s milk challenge was detected in 51% of the infants positive as compared with in 9.5% negative to challenge. The concentration of ECP in feaces increased after cow’s milk challenge in patients positive to challenge but not in those negative to challenge. The concentration of ECP was enhanced particularly in patients manifesting immediate type reactions to cow’s milk challenge. The concentration of TNF-a increased after cow’s milk challenge in patients positive to challenge but not in those negative to challenge. The concentration of TNF–a in faeces was enhanced particularly in patients manifesting delayed type reaction to cow’s milk challenge.