title: Reduced duration of breastfeeding is associated with a higher risk of multiple sclerosis in both Italian and Norwegian adult males: the EnvIMS study.
abstract: Breastfeeding for at least 4 months has been found to be associated with a reduced risk of immune-mediated diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS). Using data from a large multinational case-control study (EnvIMS), the association between MS and breastfeeding was investigated in two distinct populations. A questionnaire (EnvIMS-Q) which included a section on feeding during the first year of life was administered to MS cases and to age and sex frequency-matched controls from Italy and Norway. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) as a measure of the association between MS and exposure to prolonged breastfeeding (4 months or more, used as the reference category), vs. no breastfeeding or breastfeeding for less than 4 months (reduced exposure). Education, smoking habits, smoking in mother's pregnancy, and other types of milk used in infant feeding were included as covariates. A total of 547 cases and 1039 controls in Italy, and 737 cases and 1335 controls in Norway were studied. The distribution of prolonged (reference) breastfeeding differed between the Norwegian (65.4%) and the Italian (48.9%) study participants. A significant association between MS and reduced/no exposure to breastfeeding was found overall for Italy (OR(adj) = 1.37; 95% CI 1.09, 1.73), but not for Norway (OR(adj) = 1.14; 95% CI 0.92, 1.40). However, only in men, significant associations were observed for both populations (OR(Italy) = 2.33; 95% CI 1.50, 3.65, OR(Norway) = 2.13; 95% CI 1.37, 3.30). Reduced exposure to breastfeeding in males was found to be associated with increased risk of MS in Italy and in Norway.
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors: Giammario
authors: G
authors: Ragnedda
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Leoni
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Parpinel
authors: Ilaria
authors: I
authors: Casetta
authors: Trond
authors: T
authors: Riise
authors: Kjell-Morten
authors: KM
authors: Myhr
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Wolfson
authors: Maura
authors: M
authors: Pugliatti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires