Allergy and Immunology

Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome - FPIES Clinic

How to make an appointment

Patients with a known FPIES may make an appointment for the FPIES Clinic by calling 832-824-1319. 

What to expect

Our team will provide a thorough evaluation and devise a treatment plan based on this assessment. We will work with referring practitioners to provide long term follow-up to maximize the likelihood of improving the quality of life of our patients.

What is FPIES?

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a delayed non-IgE mediated food allergy. FPIES typically presents in infancy, with symptoms of protracted vomiting, pallor, and lethargy within 1-4 hours following the ingestion of a specific food. Treatment requires immediate fluid rehydration and in most cases the administration of an antiemetic such as ondansetron. The most recent prevalence of FPIES in U.S. children was estimated at 0.51%. The most common FPIES food triggers include rice, oats, milk, and soy, but any food can be a trigger.  

The pathophysiology of FPIES remains unknown thus making the natural history timeline difficult to predict. Currently, there are no clinical biomarkers that can be used to support diagnosis or prognosis in FPIES patients. An oral food challenge remains the gold standard for confirming whether a patient has outgrown their FPIES food allergy.

Dr. Sara Anvari specializes in the diagnosis and management of patients with FPIES and has an established clinic at the Texas Children’s Hospital Medical Center Allergy Clinic. To further unravel and understand the pathophysiology of FPIES, Dr. Anvari and with her collaborators have been investigating both innate and adaptive immune signatures observed in patients with FPIES.