FOOD
ALLERGY AND ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS DURING EARLY
CHILDHOOD
Hikino S1, Nakayama H1, Yamamoto J1, Kinukawa N2, Sakamoto M3, Hara T1
1Department of
Pediatrics, and 2Medical Informatics, Graduate School of Medical
Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
3Fukuoka City
Government, Fukuoka, Japan
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence rates of food allergy and atopic
dermatitis in low birth weight infants.
Methods: In
Fukuoka City, between July 1994 and September 1997, sufficient information
including birth weight, gestational age, gender, feeding method and a
history of food allergy was obtained from questionnaires at the well-baby
check-ups of 21,766 infants (18 months of age) and 4,378 children (3 years
of age). All the children were examined by pediatricians with regard to the
existence of atopic dermatitis.
Results: The
prevalence rate (8.1%) of food allergy in infants with low birth weight
(<2,500g) was significantly lower than that (11.2%) in infants with
normal birth weight (>=2,500g)
at 18 months of age (p=0.0002). Atopic dermatitis was also observed at a
lower prevalence rate (1.2%) in infants with low birth weight than in those
with normal birth weight (2.3%) at the same age (p=0.0041). However, this
significance was lost at 3 years of age. Other characteristics including
male gender and breast feeding showed independent risks for the development
of food allergy and atopic dermatitis at both ages.
Conclusion: We
found that low birth weight was significantly associated with a lower risk
of both food allergy and atopic dermatitis at 18 months of age.