Pediatric Pulmonology, University Children's Hospital (UKBB), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Pediatr Pulmonol. 2020 Jun;55(6):1448-1455. doi: 10.1002/ppul.24733. Epub 2020 Mar 17.
A positive effect of breastfeeding on lung function has been demonstrated in cohorts of children with asthma or risk for asthma. We assessed the impact of breastfeeding on lung function and symptoms at the age of 6 years in an unselected, healthy birth cohort.
We prospectively studied healthy term infants from the Bern-Basel Infant Lung Development (BILD) cohort from birth up to 6 years. Any breastfeeding was assessed by weekly phone calls during the first year of life. Risk factors (eg, smoking exposure, parental history of allergic conditions, and education) were obtained using standardized questionnaires. The primary outcomes were lung function parameters measured at 6 years of age by spirometry forced expiratory volume in 1 second, body plethysmography (functional residual capacity [FRC ], the total lung capacity [TLC ], and the effective respiratory airway resistance [R ]) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Secondary outcomes included ever wheeze (between birth and 6 years), wheeze in the past 12 months, asthma, presence of allergic conditions, atopic dermatitis, rhinitis, and positive skin prick test at the age of 6 years.
In 377 children the mean breastfeeding duration was 36 weeks (SD 14.4). We found no association of breastfeeding duration with obstructive or restrictive lung function and FeNO. After adjustment for confounders, we found no associations of breastfeeding duration with respiratory symptoms or the presence of allergic conditions.
This study found no evidence of an association between breastfeeding and comprehensive lung function in unselected healthy children with long-term breastfeeding. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that the duration of breastfeeding has a direct impact on lung function in a healthy population with low asthmatic risk.
母乳喂养对哮喘或哮喘风险儿童的肺功能有积极影响。我们评估了在未选择的健康出生队列中，母乳喂养对 6 岁儿童肺功能和症状的影响。
我们前瞻性地研究了来自伯尔尼-巴塞尔婴儿肺发育（BILD）队列的健康足月婴儿，从出生到 6 岁。在生命的第一年，通过每周电话评估任何母乳喂养情况。使用标准化问卷获得危险因素（例如，吸烟暴露、父母过敏史和教育程度）。主要结局是通过肺活量测定法测量的 6 岁时的肺功能参数，用力呼气 1 秒量、体描法（功能残气量[FRC]、总肺活量[TLC]和有效呼吸气道阻力[R]）和呼出的一氧化氮分数（FeNO）。次要结局包括在出生到 6 岁期间的任何喘息、过去 12 个月的喘息、哮喘、过敏情况、特应性皮炎、鼻炎和 6 岁时皮肤点刺试验阳性。
在 377 名儿童中，母乳喂养的平均持续时间为 36 周（标准差 14.4）。我们没有发现母乳喂养持续时间与阻塞性或限制性肺功能和 FeNO 之间的关联。在调整混杂因素后，我们没有发现母乳喂养持续时间与呼吸症状或过敏情况之间的关联。
本研究在未选择的、具有长期母乳喂养的健康儿童中，没有发现母乳喂养与综合肺功能之间存在关联。我们的研究结果不支持母乳喂养持续时间对低哮喘风险的健康人群的肺功能有直接影响的假设。
