Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis: update of diagnosis and treatment

Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP) is a benign entity characterized by inflammatory changes of the distal portion of the large intestine, generated by hypersensitivity reactions non-IgE mediated, induced by various food proteins. Cow’s milk proteins are the most commonly incriminated. It typically starts in the first weeks or months of life, with stools containing fresh blood, with or without mucus, in an apparently healthy child. The diagnosis is mostly based on clinical data, although various invasive or noninvasive investigations can be used for the differential diagnosis. Treatment consists of a diet that excludes suspected dietary protein. It is a self-limiting condition, most often the resolution of symptoms occurring around the age of 1-year-old.