Two cases of infantile apnea caused by hypersensitivity to cow's milk.

We reported two cases of infantile apnea caused by a cow's milk allergy.The first case was a 40 day-old, bottle feeding, female infant. The pt. was taken to our hospital because of spasmodic cough and apnea. The pt. experienced an abrupt onset of paroxysmal coughing and apnea soon after bottle feeding. Specific IgE antibody to cow's milk was not detected in her serum, but a rectal swab specimen obtained through rectal challenge test with a cow's milk showed increased eosinophils.The second case was a 30 day-old, mixed feeding, female infant. The pt. had been suffering from recurrent apnea after feeding. Specific IgE antibody to cow's milk was detected in her serum.Both cases revealed postive results in the cow's milk elimination tests.According to our experiences, possibility of food allergy as a cause of infantile apnea syndrome should be considered.