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The potential role of gastroesophageal reflux in the pathogenesis of food‐induced wheezing
Author(s) -
Meer S.,
Groothuis J. R.,
Harbeck R.,
Liu S.,
Leung D. Y. M.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
pediatric allergy and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.269
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1399-3038
pISSN - 0905-6157
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3038.1996.tb00127.x
Subject(s) - medicine , food allergy , allergy , asthma , immunoglobulin e , reflux , pathogenesis , immunology , airway , disease , food allergens , antibody , surgery
Severe reactive airways disease (RAD) in children is frequently associated with gastroesophageal reflux or food allergy. However a relationship between these two confounding factors has yet to be investigated. We postulate that, in certain patients with micro‐aspiration of gastric contents into the airways, food allergens sensitize T cells in the peribronchial lymphoid tissue and induce the production of food‐specific IgE antibodies that sensitize airway cells. Subsequent exposure to these food allergens might then induce IgE dependent mediator release from mast cells as well as T cell and eosino‐phil activation, thus contributing to airway inflammation and RAD. In the current report, we describe the case of a patient with severe asthma who had food allergy and gastroesophageal reflux whose clinical findings support this hypothesis. We also provide additional evidence for a high rate of food sen‐sitization in patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), RAD and GER. We conclude that additional studies are warranted to examine the possibility that patients who have RAD and GER require an evaluation for food allergy.