Serum IgE Concentrations in the Neonatal Period

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the IgE-mediated response as a predictable index of immunosensitization to different types of feeding (breast milk, adapted formula, soya formula and serum protein hydrolyzate formula) in the first days of life. The study population included 231 newborns (128 males and 103 females). There was a family history of atopy (at least 1 parent with an atopic disease) in 116 subjects at risk for allergy. 115 newborns were without any family history of atopy. The results showed significantly higher total IgE levels on the 4th day than in cord serum in the whole group of newborns. The same result was obtained comparing subjects at risk and controls separately. No significant difference was detectable between serum IgE levels in the cord blood of the four groups. Conversely, a significant increase in IgE levels between cord and 4th day blood in soya-fed and adapted-formula-fed babies was noticed. This increase did not occur in neonates fed breast milk and serum protein hydrolyzate.

Bone Status and Early Nutrition in Preterm Newborns with and without Intrauterine Growth Restriction

“…Analysis of biochemical data showed in IUGR infants a lower plasmatic phosphate at birth, which can be related to an insufficient prenatal transfer to the fetus [32] and it can represent a sign of malnutrition as it happens in the refeeding syndrome [33]. IUGR infants in fact are malnourished during intrauterine life: at birth, with the start of TPN, the insulin level increases and promotes the entry of phosphate in the cells, inducing hypophosphatemia and hypokaliemia in an anabolic phase in which requests are high [34].…”

“…Searching for nutritional variables that influenced bone status in IUGR infants, we found that prolonged periods of TPN correlate negatively with mc-BTT at three weeks of life and at 36 weeks of GA in both groups. In fact, prolonged periods of parenteral nutrition are associated with lower protein and energy intake, which may impair the synthesis of new bone tissue [39], while the poor mineral solubility in parenteral solutions could lead to inadequate intake and result in lower phosphatemia to support bone growth rates [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40].…”

A viewpoint of mucosal immunity in relation to early feeding method

“…Feeding of any form of whole‐protein infant formula has been shown to induce a sensitization of the infant as early as 4 days of life, with a significant increase in IgE levels between cord and 4th day blood in soy‐fed and adapted‐formula‐fed babies. This increase did not occur in neonates fed breast milk and serum protein hydrolysate (Buonocore et al ., 1992).…”

Prevention of asthma

“…Thus, breast-feeding may have a beneficial effect because it postpones the age at which respiratory infection first occurs or because infants are protected from the foreign proteins present in cow's milk, which can increase allergic symptoms [122]. Infants who are breastfed have lower serum IgE levels [123], and have less allergic illness in early childhood [124][125][126][127][128][129] and through to adolescence [130]. Breast-fed infants have also been found to have less sensitization to house dust-mites at the age of 1 yr [131], and fewer respiratory symptoms [132].…”

“…Children who have a parent with asthma or an allergic illness are easily identified as being at risk of developing a similar illness [138][139][140], but cord IgE levels are not sensitive predictors of later asthma [123]. Children who have serious respiratory infection in early life [75], or who acquire sensitization to common allergens at an early age [21], are also at significant risk of having asthma in later childhood.…”