This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Study described food allergies in children with Ehlers Danlos type 3 syndrome

ORLANDO, Fla. — The first pediatric cases of Ehlers Danlos type 3 syndrome with concurrent gastrointestinal symptoms were described here during the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 2012 Annual Meeting.

The retrospective descriptive study examined 19 children between the ages of 6 and 13 years. Children in the study had a confirmed allergy by elimination diet. This was followed by food challenge that resulted in confirmed Ehlers Danlos type 3 syndrome (EDS III).

Eosinophilic colitis (36.8%) and allergic dysmotility (31.6%) were the most commonly diagnosed food allergies. Constipation (89.5%) and abdominal pain (89.5%) were the most commonly reported gastrointestinal symptoms.

All subjects required food exclusion, with milk, egg, wheat and soy being the most common (73.7%). Artificial nutrition by gastrostomy was required by 42.1% of the study subjects; 26.3% received parental nutrition.

“[EDS III] has been associated with gastrointestinal symptoms in adults … however, no such association [had] been descried in pediatrics,” the researchers wrote.

Reference: Cutts RM #129. Gastrointestinal food allergies in children with Ehlers Danlos type 3 syndrome. Presented at: the 2012 AAAAI Annual Meeting; March 2-6, 2012; Orlando.

Disclosure: Infectious Diseases in Children could not confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.