Pesquisadores ligados a Universidade de Surrey, no Reino Unido, publicaram, recentemente, no Archives of Disease in Childhood, um estudo em que procuraram estabelecer a influência do padrão alimentar de lactentes pré-termo e o posterior desenvolvimento de eczema.
Foram incluídos 257 pacientes, nascidos prematuramente, que foram acompanhados por 12 meses após o nascimento. A associação entre o hábito alimentar e eczema foi estabelecida por regressão logística, após controle das seguintes variáveis de confusão: sexo do paciente, estado atópico dos pais, nível sócio-econômico e hábito de tabagismo drs pais.
Verificou-se desenvolvimento de eczema, acompanhado ou não de outros sintomas, após 12 meses do nascimento, em indivíduos que iniciaram utilização de quatro ou mais alimentos
sólidos antes de 17 semanas completas de vida (odds ratio = OR = 3,49). Lactentes do sexo masculino apresentaram risco significativamente maior de desenvolvimento de eczema (OR = 1,84). Além disso, pacientes cujos pais não são atópicos e que receberam alimentos sólidos antes de completar 10 semanas de vida ou que possuem pelo menos um dos pais portadores de atopia apresentaram risco 2,94 vezes maior de desenvolvimento de atopia.
Os pesquisadores concluíram que a introdução precoce de alimentos sólidos a lactentes pré-termo predispõe ao desenvolvimento de eczema após um ano de idade.
Eczema and early solid feeding in preterm infants - Archives of Disease in Childhood 2004; 89: 309-314.
Archives of Disease in Childhood 2004;89:309-314
© 2004 BMJ Publishing Group & Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Eczema and early solid feeding in preterm infants
J Morgan1, P Williams2, F Norris1, C M Williams1, M Larkin1 and S Hampton1
1 School of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK
2 Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK
Correspondence to:
Dr J Morgan
School of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK; j.morgan@surrey.ac.uk
Aims: To establish whether development of eczema is influenced by feeding practices in preterm infants, while taking account of confounding factors.
Methods: Data were assembled from 257 infants born prematurely and studied to 12 months post-term. Logistic regression analysis was performed to establish the association between feeding practices and eczema, allowing for potential confounding factors including the infants’ gender, parental atopic status, social background, and parental smoking habits.
Results: For the development of eczema (with or without other symptoms) by 12 months post-term, the introduction of four or more solid foods by or before 17 weeks post-term was a significant risk (odds ratio 3.49). Male infants were at significantly higher risk (odds ratio 1.84). In addition, having non-atopic parents who introduced solid foods before 10 weeks post-term or having at least one atopic parent represented a significant risk scenario (odds ratio 2.94).
Conclusions: Early introduction of a diverse range of solid foods may predispose the preterm infant to eczema development by 12 months post-term. Furthermore, non-atopic parents who practice early as opposed to late introduction of solid foods may be exposing preterm infants to a greater risk of eczema by 12 months post-term.
