Complications in children with a severe allergy to cow milk.

A case-comparison study compared the allergic and health complications of children who had severe IgE-mediated allergy to cow milk in infancy (study group) with those of other atopic children (control group). Severity of clinical atopy, IgE sensitization to other allergens, and recurrent episodes of anaphylaxis, as well as growth and development were compared in 16 health plan member children aged 2 to 18 years with histories of IgE-mediated anaphylaxis and 16 age- and gender-matched allergy patients. Data were analyzed using the sign test or the signed-rank test of the difference scores of the matched study-control pairs. The results showed the study group differed from the control group throughout childhood by having more specific allergen sensitizations, atopic dermatitis, episodes of sudden severe anaphylaxis, and hospitalizations. Other health complications may exist. Medical care of these children should address these problems.