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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 14, 2006; 12(14): 2264-2268
Published online Apr 14, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i14.2264
Molecularly defined adult-type hypolactasia in school-aged children with a previous history of cow’s milk allergy
Heli Rasinperä, Kristiina Saarinen, Anna Pelkonen, Irma Järvelä, Erkki Savilahti, Kaija-Leena Kolho
Heli Rasinperä, Irma Järvelä, Department of Medical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Finland
Kristiina Saarinen, Erkki Savilahti, Kaija-Leena Kolho, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Finland
Anna Pelkonen, Department of Allergology, Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Irma Järvelä, Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Supported by The Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, Helsinki, Finland; The Helsinki University Hospital Research Funding, Helsinki, Finland; The Helsinki University Science Foundation, Helsinki, Finland and The Foundation of Nutrition Research, Helsinki,Finland
Correspondence to: Dr. Kaija-Leena Kolho, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Box 281, 00290 Helsinki, Finland. kaija-leena.kolho@helsinki.fi
Telephone: +358-9-47174787 Fax: +358-9-47175299
Received: September 15, 2005
Revised: October 10, 2005
Accepted: October 26, 2005
Published online: April 14, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To assess the role of lactase non-persistence/persistence in school-aged children and their milk-related symptoms.

METHODS: The genotypes for the C/T-13910 variant associated with lactase non-persistence/ persistence were determined using PCR-minisequencing in a group of 172 children with a mean age of 8.6 years (SE = 0.02, 93 boys) participating in a follow-up study for cow’s milk allergy. The parents were asked to assess their children’s milk consumption and abdominal symptoms.

RESULTS: The presence of allergy to cow’s milk was not associated with the C/C-13910 genotype related with a decline of lactase enzyme activity during childhood (lactase non-persistence). The frequency of the C/C-13910 genotype (16%) was similar to published figures for the prevalence of adult-type hypolactasia in Finland. The majority of the children (90%) in this series consumed milk but 26% of their families suspected that their children had milk-related symptoms. Forty-eight percent of the children with the C/C-13910 genotype did not drink milk at all or consumed a low lactose containing diet prior to the genotyping (P < 0.004 when compared to the other genotypes).

CONCLUSION: Analysis of the C/T-13910 polymorphism is an easy and reliable method for excluding adult-type hypolactasia in children with milk-related symptoms. Genotyping for this variant can be used to advise diets for children with a previous history of cow’s milk allergy.

Keywords: Adult-type hypolactasia; Primary lactose malabsorption; Genetic testing; Cow’s milk allergy