Abstract
Rationale: A role of breast milk fatty acids in allergic disease has been implicated by various studies documenting their effects on atopic eczema or atopic sensitization. However, data on the effects on wheezing and asthma are scarce.
Objectives: Our aim was to explore the association of a range of breast milk fatty acids with childhood asthma and wheezing phenotypes up to age 11 years.
Methods: Breast milk was collected at 6 weeks and 6 months of age in the Ulm Birth Cohort Study (n=704 and n=449, respectively). Fatty acids were measured by high-resolution capillary gas-liquid chromatography, expressed as %weight of total fat weight, and analyzed individually or in chemically grouped sums. Adjusted risk ratios with parent-reported wheezing phenotypes and doctor-diagnosed asthma were computed using a modified Poisson regression.
Results: Patterns of associations differed across sampling periods and outcome. The associations for doctor-diagnosed asthma resembled associations for late-onset wheeze. We observed more associations in the 6-week than the 6-month study population, in particular (i) positive associations of ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) with all but early transient wheeze, (ii) positive associations of ω6-PUFA with late-onset wheeze and doctor-diagnosed asthma, and (iii) negative associations of the ω6/ω3-ratio with persistent and late-onset wheeze.
Conclusion: Exposure to several ω3-and ω6-PUFA in the breast milk may play a role in the development of childhood asthma.
- © 2014 ERS