title: Induction of anti-secretory factor in human milk may prevent mastitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to try to induce anti-secretory factor (AF) in human milk and possibly prevent mastitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty mothers who had normal deliveries and healthy full-term infants were randomly divided into two groups, 3-7 days postpartum. The experimental group received a food inducing AF. The control group received the same type of food, without AF-inducing properties. Milk was tested for AF after the mothers had eaten the cereals for 4-5 wk. AF was determined by intravenous injection of milk samples into rats measuring their capacity to prevent secretion into a gut loop of the rat injected with cholera toxin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median levels of AF differed between the experimental (n = 12) and control groups (n = 16): 1.1 (0.7-1.25) units vs 0.1 (0.0-0.25) units, Z = -4.492, p < 0.0001 (11 mothers dropped out and one milk sample is missing from one of the control mothers). The frequency of mastitis in the experimental compared with the control group was reduced (p = 0.0086, permutation test). The median AF levels in mothers with or without mastitis differed; 0.0 (0.0-0.1) vs 0.5 (0.2-1.1), Z = -2.399, p = 0.017.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest a specially treated cereal induces AF in human milk and protects against clinically manifested mastitis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive and Perinatal Health Care, Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. kristin.svensson@kbh.ki.se
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lönnroth
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Widström
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hanson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002523:Edible Grain; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism; D008413:Mastitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; C049628:antisecretory factor