Food protein induced proctocolitis syndrome in infants (clinical case)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15574/SP.2025.5(149).125131Keywords:
allergic proctocolitis, food protein-induced, allergy, cow's milk protein, haematochezia, diagnosis, treatment, elimination diet, childrenAbstract
Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis is a transient cell-mediated inflammatory disease of the colon that manifests as haemocolitis, often accompanied by mucous streaked faeces. This allergopathology is determined on the basis of the disappearance of symptoms after the exclusion of a food allergen, most often cow's milk protein, from the child's diet.
Аim - to report a clinical case of proctocolitis syndrome induced by food proteins, as well as to conduct a modern analysis of the main aspects of diagnosis, differential diagnosis and management of this disease.
The article presents a clinical observation of a child of infancy, who had progression of the disease due to non-compliance with elimination therapy therapy and dietary disorders on the part of both the mother and the child due to continued consumption of dairy products. The main aspects of timely verification, differential diagnosis and management of this allergopathology are also considered, despite the low prevalence of the disease, which emphasises the relevance of early detection and a comprehensive approach to treatment, taking into account modern international recommendations.
Conclusions. Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis is an important problem in paediatric gastroenterology, particularly at the primary care stage, which requires a correct and timely approach to patient management. Effective treatment and monitoring is possible only with close cooperation between paediatricians, general practitioners, gastroenterologists and allergists.
The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent was obtained from all participants.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
AL-Iede M, Sarhan L, Alshrouf MA, Said Y. (2023). Perspectives on Non-IgE-Mediated Gastrointestinal Food Allergy in Pediatrics: A Review of Current Evidence and Guidelines. J Asthma Allergy. 16: 279-291. https://doi.org/10.2147/JAA.S284825; PMid:36942164 PMCid:PMC10024490
Banerjee A, Bird JA, Scurlock AM, Varshney P, Brunner E, Bhagwath A et al. (2025). Multicenter food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) data collection: Leveraging a REDCap FPIES registry for improved clinical outcomes. J Allergy Clin Immunol Glob. 4(2): 100434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacig.2025.100434; PMid:40091881 PMCid:PMC11909745
Barni S, Mori F, Giovannini M, Liotti L, Mastrorilli C, Pecoraro L et al. (2023). Allergic Proctocolitis: Literature Review and Proposal of a Diagnostic-Therapeutic Algorithm. Life. 13: 1824. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13091824; PMid:37763228 PMCid:PMC10533178
Bekkali N, Hamers S, Reitsma J, van Toledo L, Benninga M. (2009). Infant Stool Form Scale: development and results. J Pediatr. 154(4): 521-526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2008.10.010; PMid:19054528
Cetinkaya PG, Ocak M, Sahiner UM, Sekerel BE, Soyer O. (2021). Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis may have distinct phenotypes. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 126(1): 75-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2020.08.021; PMid:32853787
Cook VE, Connors LA, Vander Leek TK, Watson W. (2024). Non-immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 20; Suppl 3: 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13223-024-00933-4; PMid:39702412 PMCid:PMC11656650
Madala A, Lure AC, Cheng S, Cheng SX. (2022). Case Reports of Cow's Milk Protein Allergy Presenting as Delayed Passage of Meconium With Early Onset Infant Constipation. Front Pediatr. 10: 858476. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2022.858476; PMid:35498816 PMCid:PMC9051367
Mennini M, Fiocchi AG, Cafarotti A, Montesano M, Mauro A, Villa MP et al. (2020). Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis in infants: Literature review and proposal of a management protocol. World Allergy Organ J. 13: 100471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.waojou.2020.100471; PMid:33072241 PMCid:PMC7549143
Meyer R, Lozinsky AC, Fleischer DM, Vieira MC, Du Toit G, Vandenplas Y et al. (2020). Diagnosis and management of Non-IgE gastrointestinal allergies in breastfed infants - An EAACI Position Paper. Allergy. 75: 14-32. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.13947; PMid:31199517
Meyer R, Venter C, Bognanni A, Szajewska H, Shamir R, Nowak-Wegrzyn A et al. (2023). World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guideline update - VII - Milk elimination and reintroduction in the diagnostic process of cow's milk allergy. World Allergy Organ J. 16: 100785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.waojou.2023.100785; PMid:37546235 PMCid:PMC10401347
Miceli Sopo S, Monaco S, Bersani G, Romano A, Fantacci C. (2018). Proposal for management of the infant with suspected food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 29: 215-218. https://doi.org/10.1111/pai.12844; PMid:29197125
Nacaroglu HT, Bahceci Erdem S, Durgun E, Karaman S, Baris Erdur C, Unsal Karkmer CS et al. (2018). Markers of inflammation and tolerance development in allergic proctocolitis. Arch Argent Pediatr. 116(1): e1-e7. https://doi.org/10.5546/aap.2018.eng.e1
Piccirillo M, Pucinischi V, Mennini M et al. (2024). Gastrointestinal bleeding in children: diagnostic approach. Ital J Pediatr. 50: 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-024-01592-2; PMid:38263189 PMCid:PMC10807079
Senocak N, Ertugrul A, Ozmen S, Bostanci I. (2022, Jun). Clinical Features and Clinical Course of Food Protein - Induced Allergic Proctocolitis: 10-Year Experience of a Tertiary Medical Center. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 10(6): 1608-1613. Epub 2022 Feb 22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2022.02.013; PMid:35202870
Shah S, Grohman R, Nowak-Wegrzyn A. (2023). Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES): Beyond the guidelines. J Food Allergy. 5(2): 55-64. https://doi.org/10.2500/jfa.2023.5.230014; PMid:39022754 PMCid:PMC11250192
Uncuoğlu A, Aydoğan M, Şimşek IE, Çöğürlü MT, Uçak K, Acar HC. (2022). A Prospective Assessment of Clinical Characteristics and Responses to Dietary Elimination in Food Protein-Induced Allergic Proctocolitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 10(1): 206-214.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2021.10.048; PMid:34737107
Vandenplas Y, Broekaert I, Domellöf M, Indrio F, Lapillonne A, Pienar C et al. (2024). An ESPGHAN Position Paper on the Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of Cow's Milk Allergy. JPGN. 78(2): 386-413. https://doi.org/10.1097/MPG.0000000000003897; PMid:38374567
Vandenplas Y, de Halleux V, Arciszewska M, Lach P, Pokhylko V, Klymenko V et al. (2020, Nov 20). A Partly Fermented Infant Formula with Postbiotics Including 3'-GL, Specific Oligosaccharides, 2'-FL, and Milk Fat Supports Adequate Growth, Is Safe and Well-Tolerated in Healthy Term Infants: A Double-Blind, Randomised, Controlled, Multi-Country Trial. Nutrients. 12(11): 3560. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113560; PMid:33233658 PMCid:PMC7699816
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Modern pediatrics. Ukraine

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
The policy of the Journal “MODERN PEDIATRICS. UKRAINE” is compatible with the vast majority of funders' of open access and self-archiving policies. The journal provides immediate open access route being convinced that everyone – not only scientists - can benefit from research results, and publishes articles exclusively under open access distribution, with a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 international license (СС BY-NC).
Authors transfer the copyright to the Journal “MODERN PEDIATRICS. UKRAINE” when the manuscript is accepted for publication. Authors declare that this manuscript has not been published nor is under simultaneous consideration for publication elsewhere. After publication, the articles become freely available on-line to the public.
Readers have the right to use, distribute, and reproduce articles in any medium, provided the articles and the journal are properly cited.
The use of published materials for commercial purposes is strongly prohibited.