Is it just lactose intolerance?

Allergy Asthma Proc. 2012 Sep-Oct;33(5):432-6. doi: 10.2500/aap.2012.33.3584.

Abstract

Acquired delayed-onset hypolactasia is a common autosomal recessive condition. Cow's milk allergies, conversely, are less common conditions that may manifest with equivalent symptoms and are able to simulate and/or aggravate lactose intolerance. This study was designed to evaluate the contribution of IgE-mediated cow's milk sensitization to the symptomatology of adult patients with lactose-free diet refractory lactose intolerance. Forty-six adult patients with lactose intolerance and persistent symptoms despite a lactose-free diet underwent skin-prick test to investigate cow's milk, goat's milk, and soy protein-specific-IgE. SDS-PAGE immunoblotting was used to investigate the presence of cow's milk protein-specific IgE. The percentage of patients who had skin reactions to whole cow's milk, alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, caseins, goat's milk, and soy was 69.5, 36.9, 56.5, 56.5%, 54.3, and 50%, respectively. The percentage of patients with immunoblot-detected IgE specific for alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, caseins, and bovine serum albumin was 21.7, 63, 67.3, and 2.1%, respectively. IgE-mediated sensitization to cow's milk is a frequent comorbidity in subjects with lactose-free diet refractory lactose intolerance and is worth consideration in patients with this condition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Female
  • Goats
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood*
  • Lactose Intolerance / complications*
  • Lactose Intolerance / diagnosis*
  • Lactose Intolerance / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Milk / immunology
  • Milk Hypersensitivity / complications*
  • Milk Hypersensitivity / diagnosis*
  • Milk Hypersensitivity / immunology
  • Milk Proteins / chemistry
  • Milk Proteins / immunology*
  • Skin Tests
  • Soybean Proteins / immunology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Milk Proteins
  • Soybean Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin E