Average volumes of cow's milk formula in the nursery are a potential risk for childhood atopy.

BACKGROUND

There is an ongoing debate concerning early exposure to cow's milk formula (CMF) and the risk of developing atopic disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To explore potential associations between exposure to CMF in the nursery and the development of atopy in children.

METHODS

A retrospective study of newborns at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital nursery in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was conducted. The Comprehensive Early Childhood Allergy Questionnaire was employed.

RESULTS

A total of 322 children, with a median age of 4 years, were included, 55.0% of whom were male. Of these, 89.1% had received CMF on the first day of nursery. Significance (q < 0.05) was found between certain CMF volumes and atopy. The 301-400 mL group had the highest prevalence of an itchy rash after eating (28.0%), a food allergy diagnosis (24.0%), and atopic dermatitis symptoms (40.0%). Consistently, multivariable analysis showed that the 101-200 mL and 301-400 mL CMF groups had an increased risk of developing atopic dermatitis symptoms, while those in the 301-400 mL CMF group and with a family history of food allergy had higher odds of experiencing an itchy rash after eating. Children in the 0-mL and >400-mL CMF groups had the lowest atopic outcomes; however, these associations lost significance after multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSION

This study is, to our knowledge, the first to demonstrate a strong association between average CMF volumes and specific atopic symptoms and diagnoses in childhood. These findings support other reports in the literature regarding the potential link between brief exposure to CMF in the nursery and an increased risk of atopy.