Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 7, 2025
Isolation of Leukocytes from Human Breast Milk for Use in an Antibody-dependent Cellular Phagocytosis Assay of HIV Targets
Published on: September 6, 2019
Breastfeeding does not protect against the development of carditis in children with acute rheumatic fever
Funda Gurbuz1, Nejla Canbulat Sahiner1, Emin Unal2
1Department of Nursing, Karamanoglu Mehmetbey University Health Sciences Institute, Karaman, Turkey.
Insights
Breastfeeding for less than six months may reduce carditis risk during a first acute rheumatic fever episode, but this protective effect diminishes with recurrent attacks. Breast milk intake does not negatively impact acute rheumatic fever carditis development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an autoimmune sequela of streptococcal infection.
- Breastfeeding positively influences infant immune system development.
- The relationship between breastfeeding duration and ARF carditis requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between the duration of breast milk intake and the development of carditis in patients with ARF.
- To identify risk factors for carditis in ARF patients.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 182 ARF patients diagnosed between 2010-2019 was analyzed.
- Patients were stratified based on carditis development.
- Demographic, socioeconomic, and breastfeeding data were compared between groups.
Main Results:
- Breast milk intake under six months was associated with a reduced risk of carditis in the first ARF episode (OR: 0.404).
- Increased number of children at home and female gender were independent predictors of carditis in any ARF episode.
- Female gender was the sole independent predictor for developing chorea during ARF.
Conclusions:
- While shorter breastfeeding duration (<6 months) showed a protective effect against carditis in the initial ARF episode, this benefit was not observed in recurrent episodes.
- The study indicates that breast milk itself does not exert a negative influence on the development of ARF carditis.
Introduction:
Acute rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disease that develops due to streptococcal infection. The positive effect of breastfeeding on the development of the child's immune system is well documented. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of breast milk intake period on the development of carditis.
Materials And Methods:
Patients (n: 182) who were diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever between 2010 and 2019 were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into groups according to carditis development. The demographic, socio-economic, and breastfeeding data were compared between groups.
Results:
The mean age of the patients was 10.5 ± 3.4, and 43.4 % (n: 79) of them were female. Independent predictors of the development of carditis in the first acute rheumatic fever episode were the number of children at home (OR: 1.773, CI 95%: 1.105, 2.845; p: 0.018) and breast milk intake less than 6 months (OR: 0.404, CI 95%: 0.174, 0.934; p: 0.034). Independent predictors of the development of carditis in any of the acute rheumatic fever episodes were the number of children at home (OR: 1.858, CI 95%: 1.100, 3.137; p: 0.021) and female gender (OR: 3.504, CI 95%: 1.227, 10.008; p: 0.019). The only independently predictor of the development of chorea during acute rheumatic fever was female gender (OR: 3.801, CI 95%: 1.463, 9.874; p: 0.006).
Conclusion:
Although the occurrence of carditis is less common during the first acute rheumatic fever attack in patients with breast milk intake less than six months, this advantage is lost in recurrent attacks. This study showed that breast milk does not have a negative effect on acute rheumatic fever carditis.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
01:22Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
01:21Rheumatic Heart Disease III: Medical Management
01:22Myocarditis IV: Nursing Management
01:14Myocarditis III: Medical Management
01:20Rheumatic Heart Disease IV: Nursing Management