Clinical and epidemiological characterization of south american children diagnosed with cow's milk protein allergy: A systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v14i11.49843Keywords:
Food hypersensitivity, Milk hypersensitivity, Primary Health Care, Epidemiology.Abstract
Introduction: Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) is one of the most prevalent food allergies in childhood, presenting multiple clinical manifestations and different forms of immunological mediation, which makes its diagnosis difficult, especially in Primary Health Care. In Brazil, the scarcity of epidemiological data on CMPA hinders the development of public policies and effective screening strategies. Objective: The main objective was to gather and synthesize available data on the clinical and epidemiological characterization of cow's milk protein allergy. Methodology: This is a systematic review, using the PRISMA protocol and databases as parameters. Clinical, community, observational, cohort, and cross-sectional studies in children aged 0 to 23 months and 29 days living in Brazil were included. Results: The search yielded 5,044 records, of which 4,564 were screened after removing duplicates. There was a predominance of males (59.7%) and gastrointestinal manifestations in the clinical presentation. The oral food challenge test was rarely applied, highlighting regional diagnostic limitations. These findings characterize the clinical and nutritional profile of CMPA in Latin American infants. Conclusion: The review showed that CMPA in Latin American infants is predominantly non-IgE-mediated, with scientific production concentrated in Brazil and diagnostic challenges marked by the low application of the Oral Food Challenge Test. Therapy with extensively hydrolyzed formulas proved essential, and the association with neuropsychiatric disorders indicates the need to integrate psychosocial screening into pediatric management.
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