Breast feeding and allergic diseases : could immunologic markers support protective effect?

Abstract EN

Aims : to examine the impact of type of feeding on the development of allergic diseases in infants in the first year of life supported by immunologic markers.

Methods : A total of 100 healthy infants were included in the study.

Fifty were breastfed (mean age 5.711.2 months) and fifty were formula fed (mean age 511.2 months).

Questionnaire was answered by mothers, clinical examination of the infants was done and blood samples were withdrawn for assay of eosinophil's, IgE, IL-4 and IL-13.

Results: Breastfed infants had lower levels of IgE, IL-4, IL-13 (p<0.05).

Breastfeeding for more than 4 months was associated with lower levels of IgE, IL-4 and IL-13.

(p<0.05).

Lower prevalence of wheezing was found among breastfed infants (OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.57-0.84). Conclusion : immunologic markers as IgE, IL-4 and IL13 were less in breastfed infants.

Breastfeeding seems to reduce the risk of wheezing in early infancy.

This might add evidence for the protective effect of breastfeeding against allergic diseases.