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Prolonged exclusive breast feeding and heredity as determinants in infantile atopy
Insights
Heredity, not breastfeeding duration, significantly predicts infantile atopy. Prolonging exclusive breastfeeding to nine months did not prevent atopy or respiratory infections but reduced diarrhea incidence.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Allergy
Background:
- Infantile atopy and respiratory infections are common health concerns.
- The role of breastfeeding duration and heredity in their development requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the influence of heredity and breastfeeding duration on the incidence of atopy in infants.
- To assess the association between breastfeeding duration and the occurrence of respiratory infections and diarrhea.
Main Methods:
- A two-year follow-up study of 183 infants.
- Categorization into short (<3.5 months) and long (>9 months) exclusive breastfeeding groups.
- Assessment of hereditary predisposition to atopy, infection incidence, and breastfeeding duration.
Main Results:
- Heredity was the sole significant predictor of atopy (33% with positive heredity vs. 16% without).
- Breastfeeding duration influenced atopy only in non-hereditary cases, with shorter duration showing lower incidence.
- No association found between breastfeeding duration and respiratory infections; diarrhea was more common in the short breastfeeding group.
Conclusions:
- Prolonging exclusive breastfeeding from 70 days to nine months did not prevent infantile atopy or respiratory infections.
- Heredity is a primary determinant of infantile atopy.
- Exclusive breastfeeding may play a role in reducing diarrhea incidence in infants.
Abstract:
We followed 183 infants for two years, 31 of whom were breast fed less than three and a half months (median 70 days; short breast feeding group) and a further 31 of whom were exclusively breast fed for more than nine months (long breast feeding group). We assessed heredity for atopy, number of infections, and duration of breast feeding as determinants of atopy. During the first year of life 14 infants has signs of atopy. During the second year parents reported signs of atopy in a further 31. Heredity was the only significant predictor of atopy. Atopy was seen in 33% of infants with a positive heredity and in 16% without family history for atopy. The duration of breast feeding affected the incidence of atopy only among the infants without family history for atopy: fewer in the short breast feeding group (1/18) had atopy than in the long breast feeding group (5/13). Duration of breast feeding did not associate with incidence of respiratory infections. Diarrhoea was more common in the short breast feeding group than in the long breast feeding group during the first year of life. We conclude that prolonging exclusive breast feeding from the median of 70 days to nine months did not contribute to the prevention of infantile atopy and respiratory tract infections.