Importance of breastfeeding maintenance in children with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Breastfeeding (BF) in the first 6 months of a child’s life with the addition of other foods until the age of 12–24 months is globally recognized as the “gold standard” for infant feeding. For children with cystic fibrosis (CF), it is particularly relevant that breast milk contains a wide range of protective factors against pathogenic bacteria colonization, thermolabile lipase, which facilitates fat digestion, and polysaccharides, which are essential for the trophism of colonocytes and the formation of normal gut microbiota. Objective. To study the effect of BF and its duration on the course of the disease, nutritional status of children with cystic fibrosis. Patients and methods. Questionnaire results on the duration of breastfeeding in 60 mothers of children with cystic fibrosis were analyzed, with further retrospective assessment of the severity of CF in these children. Results. The nutritional status of children who did not receive breast milk at both 1 and 3 years of age was lower than the mean age standards in contrast to patients who were breastfed; the number of bronchopulmonary exacerbations was significantly greater compared with children who received breast milk. The longer the duration of BF was, the later Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from the sputum of CF patients (r = 0.68, p < 0.005). Conclusion. Maintenance of BF leads to a milder course of the disease in later years, which becomes especially important for children with CF. Key words: cystic fibrosis, children, breastfeeding