Oral food challenge with a mixture of 'at risk' foods in children with FPIES

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome: A large French multicentric experience

BACKGROUND

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated food allergy, with potential dehydration secondary to vomiting. Differences exist regarding culprit foods, and age of tolerance depending on the country of origin. We aimed at describing the characteristics of a French population of children with FPIES, and define risk factors for failure during challenge.

METHODS

Data from 179 children who were referred for FPIES in two pediatric tertiary centers between 2014 and 2020 were retrospectively collected. The diagnosis of FPIES was based on international consensus guidelines. Clinical characteristics, culprit food, and age at resolution were assessed. Tolerance was defined as no adverse reaction after OFC or accidental exposure.

RESULTS

In the 192 described FPIES, the age at first symptoms was 5.8 months old. The main offending foods were cow's milk (60.3%), hen's egg (16.2%), and fish (11.7%). Single FPIES was observed in 94.4% and multiple FPIES in 5.6% of cases. The age at resolution of FPIES was 2.2 years old, and resolution occurred later for fish than for milk (2.9 years vs. 2.0, p = 0.01). Severe acute FPIES was a risk factor for delayed resolution (RR: 3.3 [1.2-9.2]), but not IgE sensitization. Performing a food challenge within 12 months after the first reaction increased the risk of failure (OR: 2.6 [1.1-6.6]).

CONCLUSION

In this French cohort of children with FPIES, the main culprit foods were ubiquitous. Rice, oat, and soy were rarely or not involved. Multiple FPIES was infrequent. Our data confirmed the overall good prognosis of FPIES, the later resolution of FPIES to fish and in the case of severe acute FPIES.

Retrospective analysis of 222 oral food challenges with a single dose in acute food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome

BACKGROUND

The method of performing oral food challenge (OFC) in acute food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) has not been systematically studied. Therefore, there is a certain variability in the choice of the various centers.

METHODS

Since 2011, we have been performing OFC for acute FPIES with a single dose of culprit food, a full serving size for age. In case of atypical FPIES (skin prick test, SPT, positive), we applied this protocol only if the description of previous adverse reactions was compatible with that of a classic acute FPIES, if other IgE-mediated food allergies were absent, and if the mean diameter of the wheal evoked by the SPT with the challenged food was ≤5 mm. We have retrospectively analyzed 222 OFCs from 2011 to 2020. The grading of reactions was carried out according to the International Consensus Guidelines on FPIES of 2017.

RESULTS

Forty-eight of 222 OFC (21.6%) failed. The mild reactions were 22 of 48 (45.8%), the moderate ones 22 of 48 (45.8%), and the severe ones 4 of 48 (8.4%) failed OFCs. The tested food processing (in the case of cow milk and chicken egg) did affect neither probability nor severity of the reaction. Patients with positive SPT for the tested food presented four times more severe reactions (2 of 9 failed OFC, 22.2%) than patients with negative SPT (2 of 39 failed OFC, 5.1%) (P = .316).

CONCLUSIONS

The administration of a single dose in a full serving size for age appears to be a sufficiently safe method for OFC for acute FPIES, with the benefit of saving time. In patients with positive SPT for the tested food, it may be prudent to start with a smaller dose carrying on, in the absence of adverse reactions, with the administration of the full dose after a 4-hour observation.

'Diagnosing food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome'

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome is still a mysterious disease, pathogenically poorly characterized, although the first FPIES case has been described in 1967. Mainly, food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome diagnosis is based on clinical history. The oral food challenge remains the gold standard to confirm the diagnosis, especially in particular situations. Although there are no diagnostic laboratory or imaging tests which are specific for diagnosis, they could, however, sometimes be helpful to rule out clinical conditions which are similar to food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome reactions. The purpose of this review is to define the clinical features of FPIES and to summarize the current available tools for the diagnosis of FPIES. This review is intended to be a practical guide for the clinician facing a patient with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome avoiding delayed diagnosis with unnecessary laboratory tests and detrimental treatments. Moreover, it highlights the unmet needs in diagnosis that require urgent attention from the scientific community to improve the management of patients with FPIES.

New insights into food protein-induced enterocolitis in children

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) represents a non-IgE-mediated food allergic disorder with delayed gastrointestinal symptoms that may evolve in a medical emergency. Clinically, FPIES can be distinguished into acute and chronic phenotypes. FPIES is mainly diagnosed in infancy however the onset at older ages is being progressively described. The pathogenetic mechanism underlying FPIES remains mainly unexplained, but an alteration of food-specific T-cell response has been proposed. The diagnosis of FPIES is primarily clinical, since there are not available specific biomarkers. Oral food challenge (OFC) is the gold standard for diagnosing FPIES or excluding the onset of tolerance to the triggering food. Management of FPIES includes an acute phase treatment and a maintenance therapy with the strict food avoidance until challenge, in order to prevent new attacks and avoid nutritional alterations. Acute management requires hydration that can be performed orally or intravenously according to clinical status. Long-term management of FPIES is based on the avoidance of the culprit food(s) and supervised introduction of other high-risk foods if never taken before among infants before 12 months of age. There is a compelling need of future achievements in FPIES research for the definition of underlying disease pathogenesis and potential therapeutic point of care.

A systematic review of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome from the last 40 years

OBJECTIVE

To provide a complete, exhaustive summary of current literature relevant to food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES).

DATA SOURCES

Data have been extracted from PubMed and Science Direct databases.

STUDY SELECTIONS

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines, a literature search for peer-reviewed journal articles in English through January 1975 with updates through October 2016 was conducted. Relevant publications were reviewed that included pediatric and adult populations. Information on the study design, sample, intervention, comparators, outcome, timeframe, and risk of bias were abstracted for each article.

RESULTS

Of 135 reviewed reports, 52 were included in this systematic review. In accordance with the age at onset, clinical features, and offending foods, it is possible to distiguish different types of FPIES. An immune systemic involvement can occur in patients with FPIES. In addition to the most common causative foods (cow's milk, soy, and rice), any food can potentially cause FPIES. Although specific diagnostic tests are not available, open food challenge remains the gold standard for FPIES diagnosis. Moreover, because of the lack of randomized clinical trials and of use of different adopted methods, confounding factors might mask critical findings, leading to poor knowledge of this pleiotropic clinical entity.

CONCLUSION

Multicenter studies are needed to better develop an evidence-based approach to pathophysiology, prevalence, diagnosis, and natural history of the disease.