RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Food allergy may be partly due to impairment of the intestinal barrier and is frequently associated with atopic dermatitis (AD) in early life. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether bowel wall thickening, as demonstrated by US, is useful for the identification of food allergy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used US to study eight infants with food allergy and ten non-allergic controls to clarify whether specific intestinal findings in the jejunum, ileum and colon are present in infants with AD who have food allergy. RESULTS: Wall thickening was observed in all eight patients with food allergy, but only in the jejunum; it disappeared after elimination of suspected dietary allergens. Bowel wall thickening returned in the two allergic patients who received a food challenge test. CONCLUSIONS: Wall thickening of more than 2 mm on US in the jejunum in infants with AD may be a useful marker to evaluate the presence of food allergy and therapeutic effects.
