Food Allergy and Lymphoid Nodular Hyperplasia. Exploratory Research in Cuba

 

Background:gastrointestinal lymphoid nodular hyperplasia (LNH) is rare condition present between the 7 and the 18 years, it has been associated with food allergies, giardiasis, humoral immune deficiencies and other diseases. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical, immunological and histological characteristics on pediatric patients with LNH and their relationship with food allergy. Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional case series descriptive, study conducted  at the Institute of Gastroenterology and Allergy service of Cerro´s Pediatric Hospital from July 2014 to August 2015, including patients aged between 7 and 18 years and diagnosed with lymphoid hyperplasia colon and / or terminal ileum, suspected by endoscopy and histologically confirmed by Goldman criteria were used to determine the relationship between the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms and exposure to a particular food. They undertook prick test (PT) standardized extracts of chicken egg, wheat flour, soybeans and peanuts, shrimp, lobster and milk produced by National Center of Biological an concentrations 1 to 5 mg / ml specific immunoglobulins dosed of the suspect food, C-reactive protein, Rheumatoid Factor and absolute eosinophil count. In the statistical analysis absolute numbers and percentages were used. Results: Seven patients of white race and male, who came consecutively to the institution, were investigated. The predominant age group was of 13-18 years 85.7%. All patients had a history of personal and family atopic history. The 57.1% had a positive PT, 50.0% of them had a LNH located in the ileum, and milk was the most frequent allergen in a 75.0%. Western Blotting of IgE and IgG4 (specific) results were similar to the PT. Abdominal pain occurred in 71.4% of patients. All values remained normal immunoglobulin, PCR, FR, and 42.9% was related to giardiasis. Conclusions: The frequency of LNH was observed in more than a half of patients with positive PT. W Present research must to be to continue to confirm whether there is a relationship between LNH and food allergy.