Finding a diagnostic tool for milk allergy

Tuesday, 07 July 2009 22:42

Diagnosis of cow’s milk allergy in children is often difficult. A recently published study has investigated the possibility of developing a diagnostic method based on differences in intestinal metabolic activity in those with cow’s milk allergy, shown as detectable changes in the end-products of metabolism.

A mass spectrometry-based method was used to screen urinary concentrations of 37 organic acids in 35 infants aged under 1 year with atopic eczema. Cow’s milk allergy had been diagnosed in 16 of them using a double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge test. Those infants with cow’s milk allergy and those with atopic eczema without cow’s milk allergy had statistically significant differences in urinary concentrations of 8 organic acids.

A secondary study reported in this article involved Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), or a placebo being administered to the infants with cow’s milk allergy for 4 weeks. The urinary organic acids were again analysed, however these concentrations did not change significantly in those with cow’s milk allergy following LGG administration.

Reference: Salmi et al. 2009. Pediatric Allergy Immunology. DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2009.00881.x