BREASTFEEDING AND ATOPIC DERMATITIS: A CASE CONTROL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding study in atopic dermatitis is necessary because we need to know if breastfeeding has any protective effect in these disease´s modulation. Objective: Evaluate whether children with atopic dermatitis have hypersensitivity to cow milk proteins comparing to a control group and to establish the possible correlation between the age of exposure and the allergic sensibilization to it. Methods: Study design is a case control study. The time of cow milk introduction was evaluated through a questionnaire and analyzed every month. Cow sensibilization was determined with Prick test. The analysis was done in the bidimensional way and an Odds Ratio was determined with confidence interval. Results: There was a greater frequency of early exposure to cow milk in the case group. The Prick test to cow milk proteins showed positivity frequency in the case group, in correlation to the control group. In the case group, positivity to in natura milk and -lactoglobulin were 9/48 and 8/48, and in the control group only 1/48 had hypersensitivity to cow milk proteins. Conclusions: Children with atopic dermatitis were exposed earlier to cow milk, and had more frequently the Prick test positive.