Demographic profile, food trigger associations and trends in outcome of
infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome: a single
tertiary centre Australian cohort study
Abstract
Background: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a
non-IgE mediated food allergic disorder with a well-characterised
clinical phenotype, but limited understanding of factors associated with
food cross-reactivity, severity and tolerance. Methods: A retrospective
cohort study spanning 20 years on children with acute FPIES from a
single paediatric tertiary centre in New South Wales, Australia focusing
on identifying food trigger co-associations and factors associated with
reaction severity, multiple trigger FPIES and/or tolerance was
performed. Results: 169 individuals with 329 recorded FPIES episodes
between 1997 and 2017 were included. 49% were male. The median age at
first FPIES reaction was 5 months and median age at diagnosis was 9
months. 73% experienced at least one severe FPIES reaction. Rice
(45%), cow’s milk (30%), soy (13%) were the most common triggers.
FPIES to rice or cow’s milk were strongly associated with increased odds
of having multiple trigger FPIES. Associations between causative foods
were seen with rice/oats, cow’s milk/soy, and fish/shellfish. No factors
were associated with increased risk of severe reactions. Infants with
rice and grains FPIES outgrew their reactions at an earlier age,
compared to those with fish FPIES. Conclusions: Background: Food
protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE mediated
food allergic disorder with a well-characterised clinical phenotype, but
limited understanding of factors associated with food cross-reactivity,
severity and tolerance. Methods: A retrospective cohort study spanning
20 years on children with acute FPIES from a single paediatric tertiary
centre in New South Wales, Australia focusing on identifying food
trigger co-associations and factors associated with reaction severity,
multiple trigger FPIES and/or tolerance was performed. Results: 169
individuals with 329 recorded FPIES episodes between 1997 and 2017 were
included. 49% were male. The median age at first FPIES reaction was 5
months and median age at diagnosis was 9 months. 73% experienced at
least one severe FPIES reaction. Rice (45%), cow’s milk (30%), soy
(13%) were the most common triggers. FPIES to rice or cow’s milk were
strongly associated with increased odds of having multiple trigger
FPIES. The odds of having multiple food FPIES and severe reactions were
slightly decreased with vaginal delivery. No factors were associated
with increased risk of severe reactions. Infants with rice and grains
FPIES outgrew their reactions at an earlier age, compared to those with
fish FPIES. Conclusions: Rice remains the most common trigger for FPIES
in this region with co-associations between rice/oats and cow’s milk/soy
observed. The co-associations among food groups suggest that
taxonomically related foods share similar protein structure and trigger
similar mechanisms of antigen recognition. Vaginal delivery appears to
have a mild protective effect on the development of multiple FPIES and
severe reactions.