Published online July 1, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 122 No. 1 July 2008, pp. e115-e122 (doi:10.1542/10.1542/peds.2007-1651)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Snijders, B. E.P.
Right arrow Articles by van den Brandt, P. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Snijders, B. E.P.
Right arrow Articles by van den Brandt, P. A.
Related Collections
Right arrow Allergy & Dermatology
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

ARTICLE

Age at First Introduction of Cow Milk Products and Other Food Products in Relation to Infant Atopic Manifestations in the First 2 Years of Life: The KOALA Birth Cohort Study

Bianca E.P. Snijders, PhDa, Carel Thijs, MD, PhDa,b, Ronald van Ree, PhDc and Piet A. van den Brandt, PhDa,b

a Department of Epidemiology, Care and Public Health Research Institute
b Department of Epidemiology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute, Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
c Department of Experimental Immunology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands

OBJECTIVES. Scientific evidence is scarce about timing of solid-food introduction and its association with the development of atopy. We aimed to evaluate any associations between the introduction of cow milk products/other solid food products and infant atopic manifestations in the second year of life, taking into account reverse causation.

METHODS. Data from 2558 infants in an ongoing prospective birth cohort study in the Netherlands were analyzed. Data on the main determinants (introduction of cow milk products and other food products), outcomes (eczema; atopic dermatitis [United Kingdom Working Party criteria]; recurrent wheeze; any sensitization; sensitization against cow milk, hen egg, peanut, and at least 1 inhalant allergen), and confounders were collected by repeated questionnaires at 34 weeks of gestation and 3, 7, 12, and 24 months postpartum. Information on sensitization was gathered by venous blood collections performed during home visits at age 2. Analyses were performed by multiple logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS. More delay in introduction of cow milk products was associated with a higher risk for eczema. In addition, a delayed introduction of other food products was associated with an increased risk for atopy development at the age of 2 years. Exclusion of infants with early symptoms of eczema and recurrent wheeze (to avoid reverse causation) did not essentially change our results.

DISCUSSION. Delaying the introduction of cow milk or other food products may not be favorable in preventing the development of atopy.

Key Words: cow milk • solids • atopy • reverse causation • oral tolerance • infant

Abbreviations: AD—atopic dermatitis • UK-WP—United Kingdom Working Party • cOR—crude odds ratio • IgE—immunoglobulin E • aOR—adjusted odds ratio • CI—confidence interval

Accepted Jan 14, 2008.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?