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Breast feeding and the development of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
T Mason1, C E Rabinovich, D D Fredrickson
1Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Insights
Children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) were less likely to have been breastfed. Breastfeeding may offer protection against developing JRA, particularly the pauciarticular form.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Immunology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting children.
- The etiology of JRA is multifactorial, involving genetic and environmental factors.
- The potential role of early life exposures, such as breastfeeding, in JRA development requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between breastfeeding and the risk of developing juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).
- To compare breastfeeding rates in children diagnosed with JRA versus healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted using survey data from mothers of 54 children with JRA and 79 healthy playmates.
- Breastfeeding duration was recorded and analyzed.
- Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess the association.
Main Results:
- Children with JRA had a significantly lower odds ratio (OR) of 0.40 (95% CI: 0.20-0.81) for having been breastfed compared to controls.
- The reduced odds of breastfeeding were more pronounced in children with pauciarticular JRA (OR = 0.31) than in those with polyarticular JRA (OR = 0.60).
- A trend towards lower ORs for increased breastfeeding durations was observed in JRA cases.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding appears to be less common in children who develop JRA, especially the pauciarticular subtype.
- These findings suggest that breastfeeding may confer a protective effect against the development of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this potential protective association.
Objective:
To determine if children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) are less likely to have been breast fed than controls.
Methods:
Case-control study of data obtained from a survey of mothers 54 children with JRA and 79 playmates regarding breast feeding. Duration of breast feeding was tabulated and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined.
Results:
OR for breast feeding in children with JRA was 0.40 (0.20-0.81, 95% CI) compared to playmates. For pauciarticular JRA (N = 28) OR was 0.31 (0.10-0.93); in polyarticular JRA (N = 24) OR was 0.60 (0.21-1.70). Lower OR for increased durations of breast feeding were noted in children with JRA.
Conclusion:
Children who have had JRA, especially pauciarticular JRA, are less likely to have been breast fed than controls, suggesting that breast feeding may have a protective effect on the development of JRA.