The Impact of Formula Choice for the Management of Pediatric Cow’s Milk Allergy on the Occurrence of Other Allergic Manifestations: The Atopic March Cohort Study

Abstract

To compare the impact of different formulas on the occurrence of other atopic manifestations and the time of immune tolerance acquisition. In a 36-month prospective cohort study, the occurrence of other atopic manifestations (eczema, urticaria, asthma, and rhinoconjunctivitis) and the time of immune tolerance acquisition were comparatively evaluated in immunoglobulin E-mediated children with cow's milk allergy (CMA) treated with extensively hydrolyzed casein formula containing the probiotic L. rhamnosus GG (EHCF+LGG), rice hydrolyzed formula, soy formula, extensively hydrolyzed whey formula (EHWF), or amino acid-based formula. In total, 365 subjects were enrolled into the study, 73 per formula cohort. The incidence of atopic manifestations was 0.22 (Bonferroni-corrected 95% CI 0.09-0.34) in the EHCF+LGG cohort; 0.52 (0.37-0.67) in the rice hydrolyzed formula cohort; 0.58 (0.43-0.72) in the soy formula cohort; 0.51 (0.36-0.66) in the EHWF cohort; and 0.77 (0.64-0.89) in the amino acid-based formula cohort. The incidence of atopic manifestations in the rice hydrolyzed formula, soy formula, EHWF, and amino acid-based formula cohorts vs the EHCF+LGG cohort was always greater than the prespecified absolute difference of 0.25 at an alpha-level of 0.0125, with corresponding risk ratios of 2.37 (1.46-3.86, P<.001) for rice hydrolyzed formula vs EHCF+LGG; 2.62 (1.63-4.22, P<.001) for soy formula vs EHCF+LGG; 2.31 (1.42-3.77, P<.001) for EHWF vs EHCF+LGG; and 3.50 (2.23-5.49, P<.001) for amino acid-based formula vs EHCF+LGG. The 36-month immune tolerance acquisition rate was greater in the EHCF+LGG cohort. The use of EHCF+LGG for CMA treatment is associated with lower incidence of atopic manifestations and greater rate of immune tolerance acquisition.