title: Formula with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces incidence of allergy in early childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergy has sharply increased in affluent Western countries in the last 30 years. N-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) may protect the immune system against development of allergy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively categorized illnesses by body system in a subset of 91 children from the Kansas City cohort of the DIAMOND (DHA Intake and Measurement of Neural Development) study who had yearly medical records through 4 years of age. As infants, they were fed either a control formula without LCPUFA (n = 19) or one of three formulas with LCPUFA from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) (n = 72).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Allergic illnesses in the first year were lower in the combined LCPUFA group compared to the control. LCPUFAs significantly delayed time to first allergic illness (p = 0.04) and skin allergic illness (p = 0.03) and resulted in a trend to reduced wheeze/asthma (p = 0.1). If the mother had no allergies, LCPUFAs reduced the risk of any allergic diseases (HR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.1, 0.56, p = 0.0.001) and skin allergic diseases (HR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.93, p = 0.04). In contrast, if the mother had allergies, LCPUFAs reduced wheezing/asthma (HR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.07, 0.9, p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LCPUFA supplementation during infancy reduced the risk of skin and respiratory allergic diseases in childhood with effects influenced by maternal allergies.
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Foiles
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Kerling
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Jo A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wick
authors.affiliation: Mead Johnson Nutrition, Evansville, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Deolinda M F
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Scalabrin
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Carlson
mesh_terms: D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000737:chemistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid
keywords: allergy; arachidonic acid; childhood; docosahexaenoic acid; infant formula; long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids; respiratory; skin