Nutritional status of infants with cow's milk allergy who consume breast milk vs. hypoallergenic formula

Background Infants with cow's milk allergy (CMA) are prone to malnutrition because of their inability to absorb nutrients due to bowel inflammation. Breast milk and hypoallergenic formula are considered to be the best sources of nutrition for infants with CMA. Objective To compare the nutritional status of infants with CMA who consumed breast milk or hypoallergenic milk. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study on 63 infants with CMA, aged 3-6 months, who were collected by consecutive sampling. Infant nutritional status was measured by anthropometric examination, and classified as well-nourished (-2 to 2 SD) or malnourished (<-2 or >2 SD). Data on type of milk consumption was collected through interviews of subjects' parents/caregivers. Results Most subjects were well-nourished (75%). Similar percentages of infants with CMA consumed breast milk and hypoallergenic formula (51% vs. 49%, respectively). There was no significant difference in nutritional status between subjects who consumed breast milk vs. hypoallergenic milk (P=0.61). Conclusion The nutritional status of infants with CMA is not significantly different between those who consumed breast milk and those who consumed hypoallergenic formula. Therefore, we recommend giving either breast milk or hypoallergenic milk to infants with CMA for the first 6 months of life to reduce their exposure to cow's milk proteins.