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Development of atopic disease after early administration of cow milk formula
Author(s) -
Lindfors A.,
Enocksson E.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1988.tb02038.x
Subject(s) - medicine , breastfeeding , pediatrics , allergy , incidence (geometry) , formula feeding , infant formula , family history , cow's milk allergy , milk allergy , breast milk , breast feeding , food allergy , immunology , biochemistry , chemistry , physics , optics
We prospectively studied the incidence of atopic disease in healthy term infants with a birth weight between ‐1 and ‐2 SD who were fed a cow milk formula during the first few days of life. A total of 216 infants were randomized to receive either early feeding with formula before normal breastfeeding was started ( n = 112) or “normal feeding” with breastmilk ( n = 104). Symptoms of allergy developed in 18%% of the infants before 18 months of age in the formula fed group, as compared to 33% in the breastfed group ( P < 0.05). The difference was confined to the group of infants with a history of allergy in two family members. Thus, 11% of the formula‐fed infants developed allergy symptoms, as compared to 61% of the control infants ( P < 0.01). Our study implies that early feeding during the first days of life with a cow milk formula, before the introduction of breastmilk, may reduce the incidence of allergy symptoms before 18 months of age in infants with a family history of allergy.