BACKGROUND: Constipation is a frequent cause of seeking paediatric advice and concerns up to 15% of the child population. AIM OF THE STUDY: Estimation of the role of allergy in the etiology of constipation in children during the fi rst three years of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed in 9489 children treated in 2nd Department of Pediatrics and Allergology of the Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital in Lodz in the years 1998- 2008. Among them there was a group of children with constipation diagnosed according to the Rome III Criteria. Anamnesis, course of disease and physical examination performed of each child guided further differential diagnosis Confirmation of food allergy diagnosis was positive result of provocation-elimination challenge with harmful food, and in case of some children additionally increased serum concentrations of allergenspecific IgE antibodies. In children with food allergy elimination diet was implemented. RESULTS: Chronic constipation was diagnosed in 136 children (1.43%). The most frequent cause of constipation in the examined children was allergy to cow's milk proteins, (n=99; 72.8%). The others were: psychogenic factors (n=10; 7.3%), dysbacteriosis of digestive system (n=7; 5.1%), anatomical defects of digestive tract (n=6; 4.4%), disorders of nervous system (n=6; 4.4%), overdose of Vit. D3 (n=3; 2.2%), Down Syndrome (n=2; 1.4%), celiac disease (n=1; 0.7%), abdominal tumour (neuroblastoma) (n=1; 0.7%) and cystic fibrosis (n=1; 0.7%). Clinical improvement after introduction of the elimination diet was observed in all children with food allergy. CONCLUSIONS: 1. In the fi rst three years of life cow milk allergy was the most frequent cause of constipation; 2. Incidence of food allergy as the reason of constipation decreased with age of the examined children.
BACKGROUND:Constipation is a frequent cause of seeking paediatric advice and concerns up to 15% of the child population. AIM OF THE STUDY: Estimation of the role of allergy in the etiology of constipation in children during the fi rst three years of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed in 9489 children treated in 2nd Department of Pediatrics and Allergology of the Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital in Lodz in the years 1998- 2008. Among them there was a group of children with constipation diagnosed according to the Rome III Criteria. Anamnesis, course of disease and physical examination performed of each child guided further differential diagnosis Confirmation of food allergy diagnosis was positive result of provocation-elimination challenge with harmful food, and in case of some children additionally increased serum concentrations of allergenspecific IgE antibodies. In children with food allergy elimination diet was implemented. RESULTS:Chronic constipation was diagnosed in 136 children (1.43%). The most frequent cause of constipation in the examined children was allergy to cow's milk proteins, (n=99; 72.8%). The others were: psychogenic factors (n=10; 7.3%), dysbacteriosis of digestive system (n=7; 5.1%), anatomical defects of digestive tract (n=6; 4.4%), disorders of nervous system (n=6; 4.4%), overdose of Vit. D3 (n=3; 2.2%), Down Syndrome (n=2; 1.4%), celiac disease (n=1; 0.7%), abdominal tumour (neuroblastoma) (n=1; 0.7%) and cystic fibrosis (n=1; 0.7%). Clinical improvement after introduction of the elimination diet was observed in all children with food allergy. CONCLUSIONS: 1. In the fi rst three years of life cowmilk allergy was the most frequent cause of constipation; 2. Incidence of food allergy as the reason of constipation decreased with age of the examined children.