title: Breastfeeding, lung volumes and alveolar size at school-age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies found larger lung volumes at school-age in formerly breastfed children, with some studies suggesting an effect modification by maternal asthma. We wanted to explore this further in children who had undergone extensive lung function testing. The current study aimed to assess whether breastfeeding was associated with larger lung volumes and, if so, whether all compartments were affected. We also assessed association of breastfeeding with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), which measures freedom of gas diffusion in alveolar-acinar compartments and is a surrogate of alveolar dimensions. Additionally, we assessed whether these effects were modified by maternal asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed data from 111 children and young adults aged 11-21 years, who had participated in detailed lung function testing, including spirometry, plethysmography and measurement of ADC of (3)Helium ((3)He) by MR. Information on breastfeeding came from questionnaires applied in early childhood (age 1-4 years). We determined the association between breastfeeding and these measurements using linear regression, controlling for potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not find significant evidence for an association between duration of breastfeeding and lung volumes or alveolar dimensions in the entire sample. In breastfed children of mothers with asthma, we observed larger lung volumes and larger average alveolar size than in non-breastfed children, but the differences did not reach significance levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Confirmation of effects of breastfeeding on lung volumes would have important implications for public health. Further investigations with larger sample sizes are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern , Switzerland ; Department of Children, Young People and Education , University Campus Suffolk , UK.
authors.forename: Cristian M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Dogaru
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Health, Department of Infection , Immunity & Inflammation, University of Leicester , UK.
authors.forename: Manjith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Narayanan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ben D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Spycher
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anina M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pescatore
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham , UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Owers-Bradley
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Health, Department of Infection , Immunity & Inflammation, University of Leicester , UK.
authors.forename: Caroline S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Beardsmore
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Health, Department of Infection , Immunity & Inflammation, University of Leicester , UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claudia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kuehni
keywords: Paediatric asthma