Individual and Neighborhood-Level Factors in Predicting Asthma

Abstract

Kull I, Bö hme M, Wahlgren CF, Nordvall L, Pershagen G, Wickman M. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005;116:657-661 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. To investigate the effect of breastfeeding in various phenotypes of eczema. STUDY POPULATION. A birth cohort of 4089 children followed up to 4 years of age.METHODS. Data on breastfeeding, allergic symptoms, and potential confounders were obtained from questionnaires when the children were 2 months and 1, 2, and 4 years old. At 4 years, blood allergen-specific immunoglobulin E was analyzed. Children with symptoms of eczema and asthma during the period of breastfeeding were excluded in most analyses on risk assessment of eczema and asthma, respectively, to avoid disease-related modification of exposure.RESULTS. Exclusive breastfeeding for Ն4 months reduced the risk for eczema at the age of 4 years (odds ratio [OR]: