This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of soy protein hypersensitivity in cow's milk protein-sensitive children in Korea. A total of 1,363 patients with atopic dermatitis, urticaria, enterocolitis syndrome, bronchial asthma or allergic rhinitis were recruited. First, we estimated the prevalence of sensitization to soy in children sensitized to cow's milk. Specific IgE levels > 0.7 kU/L by CAP assay were considered positive. Next, the prevalence of soy allergy in cow's milk allergy (CMA) patients was investigated. Those children whose parents agreed to participate the open challenge test with soy had a convincing history of allergic reactions elicited by cow's milk and these symptoms were relieved by elimination. All of them had negative soy-specific IgE. Patients with positive soy-specific IgE accounted for 18.3% of 224 children sensitized to cow's milk protein. The prevalence of sensitization to soy decreased with age (36.8% in the first year of life, 16.4% in the second year, and 13.7% in the third year). Of 21 CMA patients, 42.9% (n=9) were determined to have soy allergy (mean age 10.3 months). Our results suggest that soy protein formula should be carefully used as a substitute for cow's milk in CMA patients, especially during infancy.
Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Allergens ; Asthma/immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis, Atopic/immunology ; Enterocolitis/immunology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity/*epidemiology/immunology ; Human ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E/blood/metabolism ; Infant ; Korea ; Male ; Milk Hypersensitivity/*epidemiology/immunology ; Prevalence ; Rhinitis/immunology ; Soybean Proteins/*chemistry ; Urticaria/immunology

The incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has increased over the past decades. It is related to the emergence of hypervirulent strains and increased use of antibiotics. The incidence of refractory CDI to standard therapies and the risk for recurrent CDI are also increasing. Current guidelines recommend the first recurrence to be treated with the same agent used for the initial episode. However, data are lacking to support any particular treatment strategy for severe refractory CDI or cases with multiple recurrence. Treatments currently available for CDI are inadequate to prevent recurrence. Widely used method for managing a subsequent recurrence involves tapering followed by pulsed doses of vancomycin. Other potentially effective strategies for recurrent CDI are use of other antibiotics such as fidaxomicin, nitazoxanide, rifaximin, tigecycline, and teicoplanin. There are efforts to recover gut microflora and to optimize immune response to CDI. These include use of probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, intravenous immunoglobulin, monoclonal antibodies directed against C. difficile toxins, and active vaccination. However treatment of patients with refractory CDI and those with multiple CDI recurrences is based on limited clinical evidence, and there is an ongoing need for continued research to improve the outcomes these patients.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology/therapeutic use ; Clostridium difficile/drug effects/pathogenicity ; Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use ; Probiotics/therapeutic use ; Recurrence ; Vancomycin/therapeutic use

The gastrointestinal structure, function and immunity of preterm infants are immature. Furthermore the gastrointestinal microbe colonization is abnormal. Therefore the preterm infants are prone to a variety of gastrointestinal diseases. Probiotics can regulate gastrointestinal microbe constitute, improve gastrointestinal barrier function, reduce gastrointestinal inflammation response and regulate the immunity. At present, it is used for the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis, late-onset sepsis, and feeding intolerance. The safety and efficacy of probiotics for preterm infants are still controversial.
Apoptosis ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; prevention & control ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; immunology ; microbiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; prevention & control ; Invasive Fungal Infections ; prevention & control ; Neonatal Sepsis ; prevention & control ; Probiotics ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

This study was performed to identify clinical factors that facilitate the diagnosis of typical cow's milk protein-induced enterocolitis (CMPIE). Data from 142 consecutive patients (aged 15 to 45 days, cow's milk formula- or cow's milk and breast milk mixed-fed) admitted due to vomiting and/or diarrhea were retrospectively analyzed. These 142 subjects were divided into three groups: the CMPIE, infection, and non-infection group. Each group was composed of 16 (11.3%), 102 (71.8%), and 24 (16.9%) patients, respectively. On admission, poor weight gain (p=0.003), hypoalbuminemia (p=0.035), peripheral leukocytosis (p=0.012), and metabolic acidosis (p=0.015) were found to be more significant in the CMPIE group than those in other two groups. In CMPIE, serum albumin levels decreased from 3.3+/-0.9 g/dL on admission to 2.6+/-0.3 g/dL during admission (p<0.05), and methemoglobinemia was observed in 3 patients (18.8%) (p=0.012). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the independent predictors of CMPIE versus the infection group were failure to gain weight (OR, 10.75 [95% CI, 1.53-66.12]) (p= 0.014) and hypoalbuminemia (OR, 9.53 [95% CI, 1.62-49.01]) (p=0.010). The early recognition of indexes of suspicion for CMPIE may be of help in the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder.
Acidosis/etiology ; Animals ; Cattle ; Enterocolitis/*diagnosis/etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukocyte Count ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Methemoglobinemia/etiology ; Milk Hypersensitivity/*diagnosis ; Milk Proteins/*immunology ; Serum Albumin/analysis ; Weight Gain