Early Infant Feeding Practices as Possible Risk Factors for Immunoglobulin E-Mediated Food Allergies in Kuwait

Abstract

Objective Early feeding and infant exposures have been suggested as potential risk factors for immunoglobulin E- (IgE-) mediated food allergy (FA). We aimed to evaluate the association between IgE-mediated FA in children and early exposures including the child's nutritional status, breastfeeding and its duration, the age at which the solid food was first introduced, antibiotic exposure during the first year of life, and the child's vitamin D status during infancy. Design A case-control study. Setting and Subjects Children aged 0–13 years were recruited from pediatric allergy and immunology clinics (PAICs) located at major government hospitals in Kuwait (total FA cases: n = 100; boys = 67%), and healthy controls (n = 100, boys 55%) were recruited from various vaccination units at primary healthcare centers. Results Cow's milk allergy was the most common type of FA. FA status was independently associated with the early exposures of exclusive breastfeeding (aOR = 15.55 (3.26–74.19), p = 0.001), vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency during infancy (aOR = 5.42 (1.92–15.30), p = 0.001), and antibiotic exposure during the first year of life (aOR = 5.00 (1.58–15.84), p = 0.006). Conclusions FA is highly prevalent among children in Kuwait, and our data indicate that early nutrition-related and antibiotic exposures are associated with FA risk.

Appropriate age range for introduction of complementary feeding into an infant's diet

“…General population (1 study): The case–control study by Alkazemi et al. () did not observe an association between the timing of introduction of CFs and the odds of developing symptomatic food allergy assessed up to 13 years of age (Annex A as Microsoft Excel ® file).…”

“…( 2008 ) 3 PCLISANoCFAllergic rhinitisAllergic rhinitis Allergic rhinitisAllergic rhinitis symptoms Asthma‐like symptomsAsthma Asthma‐like symptomsAsthma symptoms EczemaSymptomatic eczema SensitisationsIgE Alkazemi et al. ( 2018 ) 3RETRO:CCn/aNoCFFood allergySymptomatic food allergy Bascunan Gamboa et al. ( 2012 ) 3 RETRO:CCn/aNoCFFood allergySymptomatic food allergyNo PE DesRoches et al.…”

Perfil clínico de pacientes pediátricos con diagnóstico de alergia alimentaria en el noroeste de México

“…Aproximadamente mil millones de personas en el mundo son afectadas por enfermedades alérgicas, 1 las cuales son un problema común en la población pediátrica y relacionada con complicaciones de alta mortalidad. 3,9,10 Conocer el perfi l clínico de la población con diagnóstico de alergia alimentaria es fundamental para ofrecer un diagnóstico oportuno y un tratamiento individualizado y exitoso. En nuestro estudio, 52 % pertenecía al sexo femenino y 48 % al masculino, con un rango entre uno y 182 meses o 15 años, similar a lo reportado en la literatura, en la que se reconoce mayor afectación del sexo femenino y de los niños pequeños, que disminuye signifi cativamente con la edad.…”

“…El cuadro clínico es muy variado y en ocasiones difícil de distinguir, ya que puede ir desde reacciones leves hasta reacciones anafi lácticas graves. 1,2,3 Existen más de 170 alimentos que pueden causar alergia alimentaria. Los ocho alimentos reportados en el mundo y responsables de 90 % de las alergias alimentarias son cacahuate, leche, huevo, trigo, frutos secos, soya, pescado y mariscos.…”

“…Los ocho alimentos reportados en el mundo y responsables de 90 % de las alergias alimentarias son cacahuate, leche, huevo, trigo, frutos secos, soya, pescado y mariscos. 1,3 Existen distintos mecanismos fi siopatológicos de inicio de las alergias alimentarias: sensibilización oral con la ingesta de alimentos, reacción cruzada secundaria a una sensibilización de alérgenos inhalados, producción de autoanticuerpos IgE que reaccionan a proteínas homólogas en los alimentos y activación de células T.…”