Breast-feeding reduces the risk for childhood eczema

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 116; no. 3; pp. 657 - 661
• Main Authors: Kull, Inger, Böhme, Maria, Wahlgren, Carl-Fredrik, Nordvall, Lennart, Pershagen, Göran, Wickman, Magnus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01.09.2005; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Age; Allergic diseases; Allergies; Allergy; allergy march; Asthma; Asthma - epidemiology; Asthma - prevention & control; Asthma/epidemiology/prevention & control; BAMSE; Biological and medical sciences; Breast Feeding; Child, Preschool; children; Disease; Eczema; Eczema - prevention & control; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans; Immunopathology; Infant; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Prospective Studies; Questionnaires; sensitization; Skin allergic diseases. Stinging insect allergies; Statistical methods; Studies; BAMSE; Allergy; breast-feeding; OR; children; eczema; asthma; allergy march; sensitization; Human; Immunopathology; Lung disease; Skin disease; Respiratory disease; Breast feeding; Epidemiology; hi east-feeding children; Feeding; Asthma; Immunology; Eczema; Risk factor; Bronchus disease; Sensitization; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Child; Preschool; Research Support; Non-U.S. Gov't
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2005.04.028

The evidence for a preventive effect of breast-feeding on the development of eczema in childhood remains controversial. To investigate the effect of breast-feeding in various phenotypes of eczema to 4 years. A birth cohort of 4089 children made up the study base. Data on breast-feeding, allergic symptoms, and potential confounders were obtained from questionnaires when the children were 2 months and 1, 2, and 4 years old. At 4 years, blood specific IgE was analyzed. Children with symptoms of eczema and asthma during the period of breast-feeding were excluded in most analyses on risk assessment of eczema and asthma, respectively, to avoid disease-related modification of exposure. Exclusive breast-feeding for ≥4 months reduced the risk for eczema at the age of 4 years (odds ratio [OR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.63-0.96) irrespective of combination with asthma, sensitization to common allergens, or parental allergic disease. This decreased risk was most evident for children with onset of eczema during the first 2 years persisting to 4 years (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.45-0.77). Among children with early-onset eczema, irrespective of persistency, followed by late onset of asthma or early-onset asthma irrespective of persistency, followed by late-onset eczema to 4 years, a protective effect of breast-feeding was also seen (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.30-0.76). Breast-feeding 4 months or more reduces the risk for eczema and onset of the allergy march to age 4.