Annals of allergy
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Influence of dietary manipulation on incidence of atopic disease in infants at risk.
Of 5,500 newborn infants whose family histories were screened, 900 were found to have anamnestic risk. Cord-blood IgE was evaluable in 4,677 of these newborns, of which 394 had levels > or = 1 IU/mL; 84 infants had both anamnestic risk and elevated cord-blood IgE levels. Parents of infants with anamnestic risk were informed of their child's risk of atopy. ⋯ Furthermore, doctors recommended against exposure to tobacco smoke, animal allergens, and early entrance into daycare. Evaluable infants whose parents complied with the prescribed diet were found to have a lower incidence of atopy during the first year of life (13.3%, n = 158) than infants whose parents had ignored the prescribed diet (54.7%, n = 86) or infants whose parents were offered no dietary recommendations (28.9%, n = 218). Differences between the compliant group and the two groups with unrestricted diets were significant, indicating that this prescribed diet may protect against or delay onset of food allergies during the first year of life.