The impact of early nutrition on incidence of allergic manifestations and common respiratory illnesses in children.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence of allergic and respiratory diseases through age 3 years in children fed docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)- and arachidonic acid (ARA)-supplemented formula during infancy.


METHODS
Children who completed randomized, double-blind studies of DHA/ARA-supplemented (0.32%-0.36%/0.64%-0.72% of total fatty acids, respectively) versus nonsupplemented (control) formulas, fed during the first year of life, were eligible. Blinded study nurses reviewed medical charts for upper respiratory infection (URI), wheezing, asthma, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, otitis media, sinusitis, atopic dermatitis (AD), and urticaria.


RESULTS
From the 2 original cohorts, 89/179 children participated; 38/89 were fed DHA/ARA formula. The DHA/ARA group had significantly lower odds for developing URI (odds ratio [OR], 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.58), wheezing/asthma (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.11-0.97), wheezing/asthma/AD (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.09-0.67), or any allergy (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.10-0.72). The control group had significantly shorter time to first diagnosis of URI (P = .006), wheezing/asthma (P = .03), or any allergy (P = .006).


CONCLUSIONS
DHA/ARA supplementation was associated with delayed onset and reduced incidence of URIs and common allergic diseases up to 3 years of age.
Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, TX; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Eileen E
EE
Birch
Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Jane C
JC
Khoury
Clinical Research, Department of Medical Affairs, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Evansville, IN.
Carol Lynn
CL
Berseth
Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, TX.
Yolanda S
YS
Castañeda
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Jill M
JM
Couch
Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Judy
J
Bean
Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Robert
R
Tamer
Clinical Research, Department of Medical Affairs, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Evansville, IN.
Cheryl L
CL
Harris
Clinical Research, Department of Medical Affairs, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Evansville, IN. Electronic address: susan.mitmesser@mjn.com.
Susan Hazels
SH
Mitmesser
Clinical Research, Department of Medical Affairs, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Evansville, IN.
Deolinda M
DM
Scalabrin
D017668:Age of Onset; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids