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Insights
Infants fed cow's milk, especially those with eczema, had higher asthma rates than breastfed infants. Parental allergy history also influenced allergy development, with egg and cat dander being common allergens.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Allergology
- Immunology
Background:
- Infant feeding practices and parental allergy history are potential risk factors for childhood allergic diseases.
- Eczema in infancy is often an early sign of atopic march.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between infant feeding methods (breast milk vs. cow's milk formula) and the incidence of asthma.
- To examine the influence of parental allergy history on the development of allergies in offspring.
- To identify common allergens in infants with a history of allergies.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study comparing asthma incidence in infants fed cow's milk formula versus those who were breast-fed.
- Analysis of allergy incidence based on parental allergic status (allergic mother/normal father vs. both parents allergic).
- Skin prick testing to identify common allergens in infants.
Main Results:
- Infants fed cow's milk formula had a significantly higher incidence of asthma compared to breast-fed infants (P < 0.001).
- Breast-fed infants showed a trend towards lower asthma rates than bottle-fed infants (P < 0.06).
- Infants born to mothers with allergies and normal fathers had a lower incidence of allergy than those with two allergic parents (P < 0.02).
- Egg and cat dander were the most frequent allergens identified through skin testing.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding may protect against asthma development in infants, particularly those with a maternal history of allergies.
- Genetic predisposition from both parents increases allergy risk.
- Early identification of common allergens like egg and cat dander is crucial for managing infant allergies.
Abstract:
Infants born of allergic mothers but normal fathers, who had eczema and who were fed cows' milk, had a significantly greater incidence of asthma (P less than 0.001) than infants with a similar history but who were breast-fed. An analysis of all breast-fed infants in the study showed that they were less likely to develop asthma than those who were bottle-fed (P less than 0.06). There was a lower incidence of allergy in infants born of families with allergic mothers and normal fathers, than in families in which both parents were allergic (P less than 0.02). In skin tests of both breast or bottle-fed babies, the two most common allergens eliciting reactions were egg and cat dander.
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