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Breastfeeding duration may affect association between eczema risk, FLG variants

Longer duration of breastfeeding weakened the association between filaggrin gene variants and eczema development in early years of life, according to research presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Meeting in Houston.

Researchers collected data regarding eczema at ages 1, 2, 4, 10 and 18 years in the Isle of Wight birth cohort of 1,456 patients. At 1 and/or 2 years follow-up, information on duration of breastfeeding was also obtained. Genotyping of filaggrin gene (FLG) variants, including R501X, 2282del4 and S3247X, was conducted in 1,150 study participants. The researchers then evaluated the interaction effect between the FLG variants and duration of breastfeeding on eczema risk at 1 and 2 years of age through log-binomial regression models.

During the first 2 years of life, the researchers found there was a 1.64-fold increase in FLG variants (P = .009).

Although there was not an independent association between duration of breast feeding and eczema, a possible interaction effect was identified (RR = 0.97; P = .062). As the duration of breast feeding increased (in absence of breastfeeding: RR = 2.27; P = .002; at 6 months of breastfeeding: RR = 1.27; P = .323), the effect of FLG variants on the risk of eczema decreased, according to the researchers. – by Bruce Thiel

Reference:

Ziyab, AH, et al. Paper #846. Presented at: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Meeting. Feb. 20-24, 2015; Houston.

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