Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between breastfeeding and the development of allergic diseases (AD). DESIGN: A cases-controls study. SETTING: Santander University Hospital, Bucaramanga, Colombia, South America. Level II health care. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1460 boys and girls between 3 and 7 years old attending an outpatient clinic. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Partial (BF) and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF); relationship between the presence of allergic diseases and BF and EBF, adjusting for the confounding factors due to other exposures using logistic regression. RESULTS: Out of a total of 1460 patients, 41.6% (95%CI 39.0-44.2) received EBF, while 44.4% (95%CI 41.9-47.0) were partially breastfed. Among those who had an allergy, 34.8% (95%CI 32.4-37.3) had rhinitis, 27.8% (95%CI 25.6-30.2) asthma and 11.6% (95%CI 10.0-13.4) atopic dermatitis; 7.0% (95%CI 5.1-9.3) had the three conditions. To breastfeed exclusively for >or= 3 months is a protective factor for AD (OR 0.70, 95%CI 0.48-1.03). Breastfeeding for 3 months, regardless of whether or not it is exclusive, is a risk factor for AD (OR 2.05, 95%CI 1.47-2.86). CONCLUSIONS: The recommendation to exclusively breastfeed for as long as possible continues to be valid, as there was a significant preventive impact on the development of AD with the length of time breastfed. Prospective studies including lung function tests and immunological analyses need to be performed to confirm these findings.