Breast-feeding reduces the risk for childhood eczema.
BACKGROUND
The evidence for a preventive effect of breast-feeding on the development of eczema in childhood remains controversial.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of breast-feeding in various phenotypes of eczema to 4 years.


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
Exclusive breast-feeding for >or=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).


CONCLUSIONS
Breast-feeding 4 months or more reduces the risk for eczema and onset of the allergy march to age 4.
Kull
Inger
I
Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Stockholm County Council, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. inger.kull@sll.se
Böhme
Maria
M
Wahlgren
Carl-Fredrik
CF
Nordvall
Lennart
L
Pershagen
Göran
G
Wickman
Magnus
M
D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004485:Eczema / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies