Wei-Hsuan Sung1, Kuo-Wei Yeh2, Jing-Long Huang2, Kuan-Wen Su3, Kuan-Fu Chen4, Chin-Chieh Wu4, Ming-Han Tsai3, Man-Chin Hua3, Sui-Ling Liao3, Shen-Hao Lai5, Chih-Yung Chiu6. 1. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 2. Department of Pediatrics, New Taipei Municipal TuCheng Hospital, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taiwan; Community Medicine Research Centre, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan. 3. Community Medicine Research Centre, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 4. Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and Clinical Informatics and Medical Statistics Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 5. Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 6. Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: pedchestic@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Few studies address the dynamic changes of body mass index (BMI) Z-scores during infancy with breastfeeding and their impact on childhood atopic diseases. METHODS: A total of 183 children from a birth cohort regularly followed-up for 4 years were enrolled in this study. Time series data of BMI Z-scores from 1 month to 2 years of age was clustered using K-means method in R software. Breastfeeding status during the first 6 months of life was recorded and classified. The total serum and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels to food and inhalant allergens were measured at age 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 years. RESULTS: Using K-means clustering, the dynamic changes in BMI Z-scores were classified into three clusters (cluster A, increasing, n = 62; cluster B; decreasing, n = 62; cluster C, constant low, n = 59). Despite having no statistical association with atopic diseases, a decreasing trend in infantile BMI Z-scores was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of IgE sensitization at age 1 which increased the risk of rhinitis development at age 4 (P = 0.007). No difference in BMI Z-scores was determined between different breastfeeding patterns. However, exclusive formula feeding ≥6 months was found to be significantly associated with mite sensitization at age 1.5 years which risks asthma development at age 4 (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A decreasing trend of BMI Z-scores during infancy is determined to be inversely associated with IgE and allergen sensitization, which may potentially increase the risk of allergies in early childhood.
BACKGROUND: Few studies address the dynamic changes of body mass index (BMI) Z-scores during infancy with breastfeeding and their impact on childhood atopic diseases. METHODS: A total of 183 children from a birth cohort regularly followed-up for 4 years were enrolled in this study. Time series data of BMI Z-scores from 1 month to 2 years of age was clustered using K-means method in R software. Breastfeeding status during the first 6 months of life was recorded and classified. The total serum and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels to food and inhalant allergens were measured at age 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 years. RESULTS: Using K-means clustering, the dynamic changes in BMI Z-scores were classified into three clusters (cluster A, increasing, n = 62; cluster B; decreasing, n = 62; cluster C, constant low, n = 59). Despite having no statistical association with atopic diseases, a decreasing trend in infantile BMI Z-scores was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of IgE sensitization at age 1 which increased the risk of rhinitis development at age 4 (P = 0.007). No difference in BMI Z-scores was determined between different breastfeeding patterns. However, exclusive formula feeding ≥6 months was found to be significantly associated with mite sensitization at age 1.5 years which risks asthma development at age 4 (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A decreasing trend of BMI Z-scores during infancy is determined to be inversely associated with IgE and allergen sensitization, which may potentially increase the risk of allergies in early childhood.