Cow's milk protein avoidance and development of childhood wheeze in children with a family history of atopy

Diet and allergic diseases among population aged 0 to 18 years: myth or reality?

Allergic diseases are an important health problem. However, epidemiological studies concerning childhood diet-related allergic diseases are scarce. This review examines published articles dealing with diet, dietary patterns and nutrition in relation with allergic diseases among population aged 0 to 18 years. Studies and trials were identified using MEDLINE/PubMed and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and were limited to those published in English or French from 1992 until 2012. This manuscript also reviews the evidence for maternal diet during pregnancy and diet during early childhood and their association with childhood atopic diseases, taking into account the methodology used to evaluate dietary patterns. The evidence reviewed is derived from large epidemiological studies exploring the effects of different food categories on asthma, atopic dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis in children. Overall, maternal diet during pregnancy and a childhood diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids are considered as healthy diets that could be protective for allergic diseases in childhood.

The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy position statement: Summary of allergy prevention in children

A family history of allergy and asthma identifies children at high risk of allergic disease. Dietary restrictions in pregnancy are not recommended. Avoiding inhalant allergens during pregnancy has not been shown to reduce allergic disease, and is not recommended. Breastfeeding should be recommended because of other beneficial effects, but if breast feeding is not possible, a hydrolysed formula is recommended (rather than conventional cow's milk formulas) in high-risk infants only. Maternal dietary restrictions during breastfeeding are not recommended. Soy formulas and other formulas (eg, goat's milk) are not recommended for reducing food allergy risk. Complementary foods (including normal cow's milk formulas) should be delayed until a child is aged at least 4-6 months, but a preventive effect from this measure has only been demonstrated in high-risk infants. There is no evidence that an elimination diet after age 4-6 months has a protective effect, although this needs additional investigation. Further research is needed to determine the relationship between house dust mite exposure at an early age and the development of sensitisation and disease; no recommendation can yet be made about avoidance measures for preventing allergic disease. No recommendations can be made about exposure to pets in early life and the development of allergic disease. If a family already has pets it is not necessary to remove them, unless the child develops evidence of pet allergy (as assessed by an allergy specialist). Women should be advised not to smoke while pregnant, and parents should be advised not to smoke. No recommendations can be made on the use of probiotic supplements (or other microbial agents) for preventing allergic disease at this time. Immunotherapy may be considered as a treatment option for children with allergic rhinitis, and may prevent the subsequent development of asthma.

Update on Cochrane data on paediatric respiratory diseases

INTRODUCTION

Systematic reviews seek to describe and summarise the best evidence for a given intervention by pooling data from relevant quality clinical trials. The Cochrane Collaboration has fostered the development and dissemination of systematic reviews throughout the world. We have identified and summarised The Cochrane systematic reviews of relevance to the paediatric pulmonologist.

METHODS

We performed an expert search of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews using a combination of medical subject headings and free text terms relating to paediatric respiratory disease.

RESULTS

The search identified 120 systematic reviews with interventions specific to children with some relevance to pulmonary disease, and 327 reviews with interventions relating to pulmonary disease in adults and children. After pragmatic exclusions, 81 reviews were sorted by disease and 59 of these are discussed in detail.

CONCLUSIONS

There are now many systematic reviews that make a positive contribution to paediatric pulmonology. The majority of reviews (69%) found evidence that either confirmed or refuted an accepted practice. The remaining reviews concluded that the evidence for an accepted practice is poor and sometimes wholly absent. Clinicians must be aware that lack of evidence of effect is not the same as evidence of lack of effect. Caution must be exercised before applying the conclusions of systematic reviews based upon adult data to childhood disease.