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Background:
Peanut allergy is an
important public
health problem in
western countries.
However, the risk
factors associated
with this allergy
remain uncertain.
Objective: To
determine whether
the consumption of
peanuts during
pregnancy and
breastfeeding is a
risk factor for
peanut allergy in
infants.
Methods: We
enrolled 403 infants
in a case-control
study. The cases
were infants aged 18
months or less with
a diagnosis of
peanut allergy based
on a history of
clinical reaction
after exposure to
peanuts and the
presence of
peanut-specific
immunoglobulin E.
Controls were
age-matched infants
with no known
clinical history or
signs of atopic
disease. The mothers
of the children
filled out a
detailed
questionnaire about
maternal diet during
pregnancy and
breastfeeding, the
infants diet, the
presence of peanut
products in the
infants
environment, and
family history of
atopy.
Results: The
mean (SD) age of
cases was 1.23
(0.03) years. The
groups were
comparable in terms
of the rate and
duration of
breastfeeding.
However, the
reported consumption
of peanuts during
pregnancy and
breastfeeding was
higher in the case
group and associated
with an increased
risk of peanut
allergy in offspring
(odds ratio [OR],
4.22 [95% confidence
interval [CI],
1.57-11.30 and OR,
2.28 [95% CI,
1.31-3.97] for
pregnancy and
breastfeeding,
respectively).
Overall, the infants
with peanut allergy
did not seem to be
more exposed to
peanut products in
their environment
than the controls.
Conclusion:
Early exposure to
peanut allergens,
whether in utero or
through human breast
milk, seems to
increase the risk of
developing peanut
allergy.
Key words: Allergy.
Breastfeeding. Food.
Peanut. Pregnancy.
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