Skip to main content
PMC home page
Archives of Disease in Childhood logoLink to Archives of Disease in Childhood
. 1998 Mar;78(3):230–234. doi: 10.1136/adc.78.3.230

Gastrointestinal symptoms in atopic eczema

C Caffarelli 1, G Cavagni 1, F Deriu 1, P Zanotti 1, D Atherton 1
PMCID: PMC1717511  PMID: 9613352

Abstract

AIMS—To determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in children with eczema and the association of such symptoms with the extent of eczema or skin prick test results.
METHODS—Sixty five children with atopic eczema and a control group matched for age and sex were recruited. Their parents completed a questionnaire about the children's gastrointestinal symptoms. The children's skin was examined; their weight, height, and abdominal circumference were measured; and skin prick tests were carried out.
RESULTS—Gastrointestinal symptoms, especially diarrhoea, vomiting, and regurgitation, were more common in the children with eczema. Diarrhoea appeared to be associated with the ingestion of specific foods. Gastrointestinal symptoms were related to diffuse eczema and positive skin prick tests to foods. There was no anthropometric differences between the patient and control groups.
CONCLUSIONS—A gastrointestinal disorder is common in children with eczema, especially with diffuse distribution. This may be responsible for substantial symptoms and may play a part in the pathogenesis of the disease and in the failure to thrive with which it is sometimes associated.



Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (110.5 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Atherton D. J., Sewell M., Soothill J. F., Wells R. S., Chilvers C. E. A double-blind controlled crossover trial of an antigen-avoidance diet in atopic eczema. Lancet. 1978 Feb 25;1(8061):401–403. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)91199-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Baqui A. H., Black R. E., Yunus M., Hoque A. R., Chowdhury H. R., Sack R. B. Methodological issues in diarrhoeal diseases epidemiology: definition of diarrhoeal episodes. Int J Epidemiol. 1991 Dec;20(4):1057–1063. doi: 10.1093/ije/20.4.1057. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Burks A. W., Mallory S. B., Williams L. W., Shirrell M. A. Atopic dermatitis: clinical relevance of food hypersensitivity reactions. J Pediatr. 1988 Sep;113(3):447–451. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(88)80626-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Forget P., Arends J. W. Cow's milk protein allergy and gastro-oesophageal reflux. Eur J Pediatr. 1985 Nov;144(4):298–300. doi: 10.1007/BF00441767. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Forsyth B. W. Colic and the effect of changing formulas: a double-blind, multiple-crossover study. J Pediatr. 1989 Oct;115(4):521–526. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(89)80274-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hill D. J., Firer M. A., Shelton M. J., Hosking C. S. Manifestations of milk allergy in infancy: clinical and immunologic findings. J Pediatr. 1986 Aug;109(2):270–276. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(86)80384-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hill D. J., Hudson I. L., Sheffield L. J., Shelton M. J., Menahem S., Hosking C. S. A low allergen diet is a significant intervention in infantile colic: results of a community-based study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1995 Dec;96(6 Pt 1):886–892. doi: 10.1016/s0091-6749(95)70224-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jakobsson I., Lindberg T. A prospective study of cow's milk protein intolerance in Swedish infants. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1979 Nov;68(6):853–859. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1979.tb08223.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jenkins H. R., Walker-Smith J. A., Atherton D. J. Protein-losing enteropathy in atopic dermatitis. Pediatr Dermatol. 1986 Feb;3(2):125–129. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1470.1986.tb00502.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kalimo K., Lammintausta K., Klemi P., Leino R., Panula P., Kalimo H. Mast cells and IgE in intestinal mucosa in adult atopic dermatitis patients. Br J Dermatol. 1988 Nov;119(5):579–585. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1988.tb03468.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kokkonen J., Similä S., Herva R. Gastrointestinal findings in atopic children. Eur J Pediatr. 1980 Sep;134(3):249–254. doi: 10.1007/BF00441481. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Majamaa H., Miettinen A., Laine S., Isolauri E. Intestinal inflammation in children with atopic eczema: faecal eosinophil cationic protein and tumour necrosis factor-alpha as non-invasive indicators of food allergy. Clin Exp Allergy. 1996 Feb;26(2):181–187. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1996.tb00078.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Massarano A. A., Hollis S., Devlin J., David T. J. Growth in atopic eczema. Arch Dis Child. 1993 May;68(5):677–679. doi: 10.1136/adc.68.5.677. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. McCalla R., Savilahti E., Perkkiö M., Kuitunen P., Backman A. Morphology of the jejunum in children with eczema due to food allergy. Allergy. 1980 Oct;35(7):563–571. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1980.tb01806.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Paganelli R., Levinsky R. J., Brostoff J., Wraith D. G. Immune complexes containing food proteins in normal and atopic subjects after oral challenge and effect of sodium cromoglycate on antigen absorption. Lancet. 1979 Jun 16;1(8129):1270–1272. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(79)92230-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Pike M. G., Chang C. L., Atherton D. J., Carpenter R. G., Preece M. A. Growth in atopic eczema: a controlled study by questionnaire. Arch Dis Child. 1989 Nov;64(11):1566–1569. doi: 10.1136/adc.64.11.1566. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Pike M. G., Heddle R. J., Boulton P., Turner M. W., Atherton D. J. Increased intestinal permeability in atopic eczema. J Invest Dermatol. 1986 Feb;86(2):101–104. doi: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12284035. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Sampson H. A., Albergo R. Comparison of results of skin tests, RAST, and double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges in children with atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1984 Jul;74(1):26–33. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(84)90083-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Sampson H. A., McCaskill C. C. Food hypersensitivity and atopic dermatitis: evaluation of 113 patients. J Pediatr. 1985 Nov;107(5):669–675. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(85)80390-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sloper K. S., Brook C. G., Kingston D., Pearson J. R., Shiner M. Eczema and atopy in early childhood: low IgA plasma cell counts in the jejunal mucosa. Arch Dis Child. 1981 Dec;56(12):939–942. doi: 10.1136/adc.56.12.939. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Archives of Disease in Childhood are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES