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Long-term prevention of allergic diseases by using protein hydrolysate formula in at-risk infants
1Service de Gastroentérologie Pédiatrique, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire, Rouen, France.
Insights
A protein hydrolysate formula may help prevent eczema in high-risk infants. This study found a long-term reduction in eczema prevalence, but not asthma, when infants received the specialized formula.
Area of Science:
- Allergy and immunology
- Pediatric nutrition
- Clinical research
Background:
- Infants with a family history of allergy are at increased risk for developing allergic diseases.
- Early feeding interventions are explored for allergy prevention in at-risk infants.
- Protein hydrolysate formulas are designed to reduce allergenicity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term effects of a protein hydrolysate formula on allergy prevention in infants with a family history of allergy.
- To compare the incidence of allergic reactions, specifically eczema and asthma, between infants fed hydrolysate formula and standard formula.
- To evaluate the impact of early formula feeding on immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, long-term randomized controlled study.
- Infants at risk for allergies were assigned to receive either protein hydrolysate formula or adapted cow milk formula for 4 months.
- Allergic reactions and IgE levels were monitored up to 4 years of age.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in total IgE levels or allergic reactions were observed at 4 or 12 months.
- At 2 and 4 years, the hydrolysate group showed a significantly lower prevalence of eczema compared to the control group (p < 0.001 at 2 years, p < 0.01 at 4 years).
- No significant difference in asthma prevalence was found between the groups at any time point.
Conclusions:
- Early feeding with a protein hydrolysate formula demonstrated a long-term preventive effect on eczema development in high-risk infants.
- The study suggests that protein hydrolysate formula may be beneficial for preventing eczema, but not asthma, in genetically predisposed infants.
- Further research may explore specific mechanisms and optimal timing for hydrolysate formula use in allergy prevention.
Abstract:
This prospective, long-term study assessed the effects of a protein hydrolysate formula on allergy prevention in infants with a family history of allergy. Infants were randomly assigned to receive either the hydrolysate formula (n = 92) or an adapted cow milk formula (n = 85) alone or with breast-feeding for 4 months. The groups did not differ in family allergy history scores or cord blood IgE levels. After 4 months, total IgE levels and allergic reactions did not differ significantly between groups, although the hydrolysate group had a lower prevalence of eczema. At 12 months of age, neither IgE levels nor allergic reactions were significantly different. At 2 years of age, however, 18 allergic reactions had occurred in the hydrolysate group and 31 had occurred in the control group; the differences were significant for eczema (p < 0.001) but not for asthma. At 4 years of age, allergic signs were found in 11 children in the hydrolysate group and in 17 children in the control group; the difference was significant only for eczema (p < 0.01). These results suggest that early feeding of a protein hydrolysate formula to infants at risk for allergies had a long-term preventive effect on the prevalence of eczema but not of asthma.