Online ISSN: 2515-8260

Clinical and Laboratory Evaluation of Faltering Growth in Infants with Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

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Naglaa Ahmed El-Adawy1 , HebaGamal Anany2 , Nahed Mahmoud Helmy Khater3 , DoaaAlhussein Mostafa

Abstract

Background: Cow's Milk protein Allergy (CMA) is a serious and potentially lifethreatening problem for an estimated 2.5 % of children. Infants with CMA are at risk of growth faltering, however, data are still limited. . Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess growth and nutritional status in infants with CMA and to evaluate the implications of CMA in infants with flatteringgrowth. Methods: This cross sectional study was performed in the period from April 2019 to September 2019 in Pediatrics Department of Zagazig University Hospitals. The study included 72 patients with CMA diagnosed by oral challenge test after elimination diet. Allergy work up included skin prick test and measuring specific (Immunoglobulin E) IgEforCow'sMilkprotein(CMP)forallpatients.Thegrowthandnutritionalstatusofthepatients wasassessedbasedon World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts and growth zscores for weight-for-age, weight-for-height and height-for-age, in addition to laboratoryinvestigations. Results: Data from 72 infants (43 male and 29 female) with age of 9.92 ± 5.853 months indicated that 9 out of 72 infants(12.5%)werediagnosedasImmediateIgEmediatedCMAwhiletheother63infants(87.5 %)wereconsidered delayed non-IgE mediated CMA. Twenty-five infant out of 72 (34.7%) suffered from faltering of growth. We found that 20.8% of infants had z score < -2SD as regard weight for age while (9.7%) and (4.3%) had z score < -2 SD as regard height for age and weight for height respectively. We also, found that 36.1% of infants suffered from iron deficiency anaemia with haemoglobin (11.16 ± 1.53) g/dl, while 29.2% of infants showed hypoalbuminemia with serum albumin level (2.9 ±0.177)g/dl. Conclusion:GrowthfalteringandnutritionalproblemsaremajorconcernsininfantswithCMA. Propermanagement of infants with CMA, including specialist dietetic advice and regular growth monitoring, is mandatory to avoid these concerns. When evaluating an infant with flattering growth, iron deficiency anaemia and/ or hypoalbuminemia physicians should include in their evaluation extensive search forCMA.

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