Prevention of asthma

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.