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Breast-feeding in infancy linked to decreased risk of eczema in teens
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Exclusive and prolonged breast-feeding during infancy can reduce the risk of eczema in teenagers, according to research published in JAMA Pediatrics.
“WHO recommends between 4 and 6 months of exclusive breast-feeding to aid prevention of allergy and associated illnesses,” Carsten Flohr, MD, PhD, from the Unit for Population Based Dermatology Research at St. John’s Institute of Dermatology, the division of genetics and molecular medicine at King’s College London and Guy’s & St. Thomas’ National Health Service Foundation Trust, said in a press release. “Our findings add further weight to the importance of campaigns like the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, which is tackling low rates of breast-feeding globally.”
To inspect whether a program that promotes prolonged and exclusive breast-feeding can prevent asthma, eczema and low lung function in adolescence, the researchers conducted a follow-up of the Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT). This study was a cluster randomized trial conducted across 30 Belarusian maternity hospitals and related centers. In total, 17,046 healthy infants were included between June 15, 1996, to Dec. 31, 1997. The researchers used modified intention-to-treat analysis to analyze collected data.
Flohr and colleagues enlisted study pediatricians to conduct spirometry and examine flexural eczema on standardized skin. Additionally, the researchers assessed if participants had any self-reported asthma diagnosis, as well as wheezing and flexural eczema symptoms in the previous year.
Of the children included in the intervention group (n = 7,064), 0.3% had eczema on assessment of the eye area, neck, elbows, knees and ankles at follow-up. A prevalence of 0.7% was observed within the control group. No significant differences between control and intervention groups were observed at 16 years of age concerning lung function and asthma diagnoses.
“PROBIT, the largest randomized trial ever carried out in the area of human lactation, continues to yield scientifically and clinically important information more than 2 decades after its inception,” Michael Kramer, MD, from McGill’s Faculty of Medicine and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, said in the release. – by Katherine Bortz
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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