Clinical and epidemiological aspects of patients with cow's milk allergy followed in a public health reference center in central Brazil

Background The prevalence of cow’s milk allergy (CMA) has increased in last decades. The disease affects especially young infants and their clinical presentation can be diverse, often associated with comorbidities. The diagnosis is essentially based on clinical aspects and challenge tests. Its treatment demands strict adherence to elimination diet, with avoidance of milk protein and, for infants, the use of special hypoallergenic formulas. The increase in demand for these formulas, costly to the Public Health System, makes it necessary to better characterize the target population of assistance programs.