Duration of breast feeding and bovine serum albumin antibody levels in type 1 diabetes: a case-control study

  1. Francisco Pérez-Bravo1,*,
  2. Amaya Oyarzún1,
  3. Elena Carrasco2,
  4. Cecilia Albala1,
  5. Janice S. Dorman3,
  6. José Luis Santos1

Article first published online: 12 DEC 2003

DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-543X.2003.00027.x

Issue

Pediatric Diabetes

Pediatric Diabetes

Volume 4, Issue 4, pages 157–161, December 2003

Additional Information

How to Cite

Pérez-Bravo, F., Oyarzún, A., Carrasco, E., Albala, C., Dorman, J. S. and Santos, J. L. (2003), Duration of breast feeding and bovine serum albumin antibody levels in type 1 diabetes: a case-control study. Pediatric Diabetes, 4: 157–161. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-543X.2003.00027.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, Nutrition and Food Technology Institute (INTA);

  2. 2

    Diabetes Unit, San Juan de Dios Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; and

  3. 3

    Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

* *Dr Francisco Pérez-Bravo, PhD, Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, Nutrition and Food Technology Institute (INTA), University of Chile, PO Box 138-11, Santiago, Chile. Tel: 56-2-678-14-54; fax: 56-2-221-40-30; e-mail: fperez@uec.inta.uchile.cl

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 12 DEC 2003
  2. Article first published online: 12 DEC 2003
  3. Submitted 23 January 2003 Accepted for publication 15 September 2003

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Keywords:

  • breast feeding;
  • BSA antibodies;
  • cow's milk;
  • HLA-DQ;
  • type 1 diabetes

Abstract: Objective: 

To compare the levels of bovine serum albumin (BSA) antibodies and their relationship with duration of breast feeding, age of exposure to cow's milk, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA-DQ) genotype in children with and without type 1 diabetes.

Methods:  Serum samples from 143 (0.3–14.7 yr) newly diagnosed children with type 1 diabetes and 107 unrelated control children (0.8–13.5 yr) were evaluated for BSA antibodies. Duration of breast feeding and exposure to cow's milk were recorded on questionnaires. HLA-DQ typing was determined by polymerase chain reaction.

Results:  One hundred percent of the diabetic children were positive for BSA antibodies compared to 1.9% for healthy controls (p < 0.001). Diabetic children also had higher levels of immunoglobulin G antibodies than unrelated controls (55.1 vs. 17.8 ng/mL, p < 0.0001). Duration of breast feeding (5.4 vs. 7.6 months, p < 0.02), but not age of exposure to cow's milk (8.3 vs. 9.2 months, p = 0.11), differed between cases and controls. There was no difference in antibody titer by duration of breast feeding or age of exposure to cow's milk in the cases or controls.

Conclusion:  Higher levels of antibodies to BSA were found in children recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes compared to the controls, particularly those with high or moderate HLA-DQ genotypes. The BSA profile, however, does not seem to depend on duration of breast feeding or age of exposure to cow's milk in this population.

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