[Early breastfeed weaning as a risk factor for acute appendicitis in children].
OBJECTIVE
To determine if short term exclusive (EBF), combined breastfeeding (CBF), or an early start of other kind of food constitute risk factors for appendicitis in children.


METHODS
By means of a case-control study, the mothers of 200 children up to 16 years with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis and 200 matched controls were interviewed regarding the duration of breastfeeding and the start of other foods. Data were analyzed to calculate chi-square c2; odds ratio (OR) was used to calculate risk factors, confidence intervals (CI 95%) were also determined.


RESULTS
There was no EBF in 52 cases (26%), or in 5 controls (2.5%) (p< 0.001). EBF lasted for 2.3 +/- 1.8 months in cases and 3 +/- 1.1 months in controls (p< 0.001). CBF lasted for 8.1 +/- 7.5 months in cases and 8.8 +/- 3.5 in controls (p< 0.001); ablactation was started at 4.4 +/- 1.3 months in cases and at 4.7+/-1.2 in controls (p< 0.05). The OR of developing appendicitis for non- EBF was 10.4 (CI 95% 4 - 26.5), for ablactation before 4 months 1.4, (CI 95% 0.9 - 2) and for CBF for less than 6 months 4.6, (CI 95% 2.3 - 8.3).


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of developing appendicitis is higher among children who never received EBF and who were breastfed for less than 6 months.
Gómez-Alcalá
Alejandro V
AV
Coordinación de Investigación en Salud, Delegación Sonora, IMSS, México. aleiandro.aomezal@imss.aob.mx
Hurtado-Guzmán
Angel
A
D000293:Adolescent; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001942:Breast Feeding; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors