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Early infant feeding and allergic respiratory diseases in Ibb city, Yemen
Jamil M A S Obaid1,2, Waheed A M Ali3, Antar F A M Al-Badani4,5
1Medical Laboratory Sciences Dept., Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ibb University, Ibb, Yemen. Jamilobaid@yahoo.com.
Insights
Early infant feeding, especially with artificial milk, significantly increases the risk of allergic respiratory diseases (ARD) in children. This feeding practice is linked to higher rates of wheezing and asthma attacks in infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Environmental Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Allergic respiratory diseases (ARD) are a significant health concern for children in Yemen.
- The link between early infant feeding practices and ARD development remains a subject of debate.
- This study addresses the association between feeding infants before six months of age and ARD incidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between early infant feeding (before 6 months) and the development of allergic respiratory diseases (ARD).
- To identify specific feeding practices, such as artificial milk consumption, that may predispose infants to ARD.
- To assess the correlation between early feeding and clinical manifestations like wheezing and asthma attacks.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted with 151 child patients at a public hospital in Ibb, Yemen.
- Participants were assessed for ARD through clinical and laboratory examinations.
- Blood samples were analyzed for complete blood count and IgE levels, with 15 healthy volunteers serving as controls.
Main Results:
- Early infant feeding was identified as a significant risk factor for ARD (OR 6.8, 95% CI 3.0-15.3).
- Artificial milk consumption was particularly associated with increased ARD risk (OR 6.1, 95% CI 2.7-13.5).
- Early feeding, especially artificial milk, correlated with higher incidences of wheezing and asthma attacks, and elevated IgE levels.
Conclusions:
- Early infant feeding, particularly with artificial milk, is a significant risk factor for developing allergic respiratory diseases.
- Infants fed early with artificial milk exhibit a higher prevalence of wheezing and asthma attacks.
- Elevated sensitization markers, including eosinophil count and total serum IgE, were observed in infants with early feeding practices.
Background:
Allergic respiratory diseases (ARD) are a highly prevalent health problem affecting infants and children in Yemen. Early infant feeding predisposition to the development of ARD has been a controversial question. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between early feeding before 6 months of age and the development of ARD among children attending Childhood and Maternity Public Hospital (CMPH), Ibb, Yemen Republic.
Subjects And Methods:
The study population included 151 child patients attending the pediatric clinic at CMPH. Upon clinical and laboratory examinations, 72 out of 151 patients had ARD, while the other 79 had diseases other than ARD; all of them were used in risk assessment. Fifteen blood samples from healthy volunteers were used in laboratory investigations as a control. Complete blood count and IgE level were investigated for all participants. Children's parents were requested to give an informed consent and fill questionnaire about demography and history details.
Results:
Early infant feeding was a significant risk factor for the development of ARD with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.8 and 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0 to 15.3. Artificial milk particularly was risk factor with an OR of 6.1 and 95% confidence interval 2.7 to 13.5. Artificial milk exhibited more wheezing and asthma attack than others (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.9 to 9.4 and OR 7.6, 95% CI 3.5 to 16.3, respectively). The risk of wheezing and asthma attack also increase with early feeding generally (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.3 to 7.2 and OR 4.8, 95% CI 2.2 to 8.1, respectively). The patients had a higher sensitization markers than the control, such as eosinophil count and total serum IgE. The highest levels of IgE ever reported existed among early fed patients with artificial milk.
Conclusions:
Early infant feeding, particularly with artificial milk, is a risk factor predisposing infants to the development of allergic respiratory disease presented with more clinical features of wheezing and asthma attack.
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