title: Exclusive or Partial Breastfeeding for 6 Months Is Associated With Reduced Milk Sensitization and Risk of Eczema in Early Childhood: The PATCH Birth Cohort Study.
abstract: There is insufficient evidence to confirm the association between breastfeeding and allergic outcomes later in life. This study aimed to determine the relationships between different breastfeeding patterns and allergen sensitizations and risk of developing atopic diseases in early childhood. A total of 186 children from a birth cohort in the Prediction of Allergies in Taiwanese Children study for a 4-year follow-up period were enrolled. Total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and specific IgE antibodies against food and inhalant allergens were measured sequentially at 6 months as well as at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 4 years of age. A significantly lower prevalence of milk sensitization was found in children at ages 1 and 1.5 years who were exclusively or partially breastfed for ≥6 months. Breastfeeding ≥6 months was significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing eczema but not allergic rhinitis and asthma at ages 1 and 2 years. Compared with exclusive breastfeeding ≥6 months, partial breastfeeding <6 months was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing eczema at ages 1 and 2 years. As with exclusive breastfeeding, partial breastfeeding for at least 6 months appears to be associated with a reduced prevalence of milk sensitization as well as a reduced risk of developing eczema in early childhood.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung and Chang Gung University College of Medicine (C-YC, S-LL, K-WS, M-HT, M-CH); and Division of Pediatric Pulmonology (C-YC, S-HL) and Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics (L-CC, T-CY, K-WY, J-LH), Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Yung
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Sui-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Kuan-Wen
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Ming-Han
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Man-Chin
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Shen-Hao
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Li-Chen
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tsung-Chieh
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Kuo-Wei
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Jing-Long
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007073:Immunoglobulin E