Abstract
Hepatomegaly can be a reliable clinical parameter to link atopic diseases with food intake in children. There is a notable increase in the occurrence of atopic diseases caused by food allergen intake. These relationships are difficult to prove, since the available procedures are costly, time-consuming and not always sufficiently sensitive. A study was conducted in a general practice on more than 300 children under the age of 13 years, over a period of three years. On palpation, the livers of children without any signs and symptons of atopic diseases, were proximal to the edge of the rib-cage, while the livers of children with signs and symptoms of atopic diseases were almost invariably enlarged. Within 3 h after a specific challenge with a known allergen, these children developed marked enlargement of the liver. Without further challenging, these enlarged livers usually reverted to normal size within 12 h, while other symptoms and signs could linger on. This article must be regarded as a pilot study, and far more scientific research is required.