Probability of Food Allergy in Case of Benign Transient Non-Organic Ileus of Neonate

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Although the symptoms of benign transient non-organic ileus of neonate (BTNIN) are similar to that of Hirschsprung's disease (HD), the etiology underlying BTNIN remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to compare laboratory and clinical characteristics of BTNIN with those of HD and to clarify the possibility of an association between food allergies and BTNIN. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data from 34 BTNIN and 11 HD patients from January 2005 to December 2011. We compared several variables between these patients, including sex, age, feeding method, rate (%) and absolute count of serum eosinophils, and eosinophil count in the rectal mucosa. Pearson chi-square tests and independent t-tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: BTNIN (N=34) is more likely to affect males as compared to HD (N=11), BTNIN had a longer duration of symptoms after birth, and BTNIN patients were more likely to be breast fed; all these factors were statistically significant (P=0.019, 0.000, and 0.000, respectively). The rate (%) and absolute count of serum eosinophils in the serum of BTNIN and HD patients was 3.9+/-2.4% and 401+/-388/HPF, respectively, and 1.4+/-0.8% and 170+/-110/HPF, respectively (P=0.001 and 0.000). Moreover, the eosinophil count in the rectal mucosa of BTNIN and HD patients was 14.4+/-12.9/HPF and 5.2+/-4.7/HPF, respectively (P=0.017). CONCLUSION: We observed that BTNIN patients exhibited a later symptom onset, and that BTNIN was more closely associated with breast feeding as compared to HD. A greater number of eosinophils were present in the serum and rectal biopsies of BTNIN patients. Thus, we suggest that BTNIN is associated with food allergy.