Low breast milk IgA and high blood eosinophil count in breast-fed newborns determine higher risk for developing atopic eczema after an 18-month follow-up.

Eosinophil count and IgA breast milk were evaluated at birth in 120 mother-newborn pairs with an 18-month prospective follow-up study. Our study showed a higher risk of developing atopic eczema in newborns with eosinophil count higher than 500 cell/mm3 and with IgA breast milk less than 220 mg/dl (odds ratio 17.6 CI 5.4 to 57.2 p < 0.000086). IgA breast milk is significantly less and eosinophil count is significantly higher at birth in children who develop atopic eczema. This study demonstrates the usefulness of newborn eosinophil count and mother total IgA breast milk level as combined risk factors in the development of atopic eczema in breast-fed babies.