Severely Altered-Consciousness Status and Profuse Vomiting in Infants: Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES), a Challenging Diagnosis

Pediatr Emerg Care. 2018 Oct;34(10):e187-e189. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000000921.

Abstract

In infants, the causes of acute repetitive vomiting and severely altered-consciousness status include a broad differential diagnosis, that is, primarly sepsis, infectious gastroenteritis, head injury, and intoxication, as well as neurologic, metabolic, and cardiologic condition diseases. In patients developing such symptoms, allergy as an etiological cause is often not considered by primary care physicians. With this case report, we aim to draw the attention of general pediatricians, emergency physicians, and intensivists to the fact that non-immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergic gastrointestinal disorders such as food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome should be considered in patients with sepsis-like symptoms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Consciousness Disorders / etiology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Dietary Proteins / immunology*
  • Enterocolitis / diagnosis*
  • Enterocolitis / etiology
  • Food Hypersensitivity / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Vomiting / etiology*

Substances

  • Dietary Proteins