TY - JOUR
T1 - Breast-feeding and atopic disease: A cohort study from childhood to middle age
AU - Matheson, Melanie
AU - Erbas, Bircan
AU - Balasuriya, Aindralal
AU - Jenkins, Mark A
AU - Wharton, Cathryn
AU - Tang, Mimi L
AU - Abramson, Michael John
AU - Walters, E Haydn
AU - Hopper, John L
AU - Dharmage, Shyamali
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - BACKGROUND: The literature regarding the association between breast-feeding and atopic diseases has been contradictory. OBJECTIVE: We have assessed the relationship between breast-feeding and atopic disorders in a cohort followed into middle age. METHODS: The Tasmanian Asthma Study is a population-based prospective cohort study that has followed participants from the age of 7 to 44 years. Exclusive breast-feeding in the first 3 months of life was examined as a risk factor for atopic diseases by using multiple logistic regression and generalized estimating equation analyses. RESULTS: At age 7 years, exclusively breast-fed children with a maternal history of atopy had a marginally lesser risk of current asthma than those not exclusively breast-fed (odds ratio [OR], 0.8; 95 CI, 0.6-1.0). However, after age 7 years, the risk reversed, and exclusively breast-fed children had an increased risk of current asthma at 14 (OR, 1.46; 95 CI, 1.02-2.07), 32 (OR, 1.84; 95 CI, 1.06-3.3), and 44 (OR, 1.57; 95 CI, 1.15-2.14) years. Exclusively breast-fed children also had a reduced risk of food allergy at age 7 years but an increased risk of food allergy (OR, 1.26; 95 CI, 1.1-1.5) and allergic rhinitis (OR, 1.2; 95 CI, 1.0-1.3) at 44 years. CONCLUSION: Exclusively breast-fed babies with a maternal history of atopy were less likely to develop asthma before the age of 7 years, but more likely to develop asthma after the age of 7 years. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The current recommendation to breast-feed high-risk infants for protection against early wheezing illness can be confirmed. However, the recommendation should be reconsidered for protection against allergic asthma and atopy in the longer term.
AB - BACKGROUND: The literature regarding the association between breast-feeding and atopic diseases has been contradictory. OBJECTIVE: We have assessed the relationship between breast-feeding and atopic disorders in a cohort followed into middle age. METHODS: The Tasmanian Asthma Study is a population-based prospective cohort study that has followed participants from the age of 7 to 44 years. Exclusive breast-feeding in the first 3 months of life was examined as a risk factor for atopic diseases by using multiple logistic regression and generalized estimating equation analyses. RESULTS: At age 7 years, exclusively breast-fed children with a maternal history of atopy had a marginally lesser risk of current asthma than those not exclusively breast-fed (odds ratio [OR], 0.8; 95 CI, 0.6-1.0). However, after age 7 years, the risk reversed, and exclusively breast-fed children had an increased risk of current asthma at 14 (OR, 1.46; 95 CI, 1.02-2.07), 32 (OR, 1.84; 95 CI, 1.06-3.3), and 44 (OR, 1.57; 95 CI, 1.15-2.14) years. Exclusively breast-fed children also had a reduced risk of food allergy at age 7 years but an increased risk of food allergy (OR, 1.26; 95 CI, 1.1-1.5) and allergic rhinitis (OR, 1.2; 95 CI, 1.0-1.3) at 44 years. CONCLUSION: Exclusively breast-fed babies with a maternal history of atopy were less likely to develop asthma before the age of 7 years, but more likely to develop asthma after the age of 7 years. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The current recommendation to breast-feed high-risk infants for protection against early wheezing illness can be confirmed. However, the recommendation should be reconsidered for protection against allergic asthma and atopy in the longer term.
UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WH4-4PJD9JF-1&_user=542840&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000027659&_ver8
M3 - Article
SN - 0091-6749
VL - 120
SP - 1051
EP - 1057
JO - The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
JF - The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
IS - 5
ER -