Early breastfeeding interruption linked to MS development

[frodo]

Could this be the cause of the MS spread due to western habits?

Prolonged Breastfeeding as an Infant Reduces Future Risk of Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis
http://www.neurology.org/content/86/16_ ... .377.short

Objective: The primary aim was to analyze the association of breastfeeding history in infancy upon the future risk of developing pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS).

Background: MS is an inflammatory, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that can manifest in childhood. Risk of pediatric-onset MS (POMS) is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. History of infant breastfeeding appears protective in some childhood autoimmune disorders, but its impact on risk of MS in childhood is unknown.

Methods: The biological mothers of 26 POMS patients, seen at the University of Virginia’s Pediatric Demyelinating Disease Clinic, were asked to complete a questionnaire on the subject's history and duration of breastfeeding in addition to various demographic factors. The control group, consisting of 39 otherwise healthy patients from the University’s pediatric headache clinic with a diagnosis of migraine (and normal brain MRI obtained <1 year prior to enrollment), were asked to complete the same survey.

Results: Demographics of age and gender were not significantly different between groups. Factors related to birth history (delivery method, gestational age, birth weight), childhood factors (number of siblings, history of daycare and homeschooling), and social factors (insurance type, geographic location in the first 15 years of life) were not significantly different between groups. History of breastfeeding (34.6[percnt] cases; 71.8[percnt] controls) was significantly different between groups (p=0.003). In breastfed subjects, the duration of breastfeeding was also significantly different (cases: mean of 3.4 weeks; controls: mean of 28.8 weeks; p<0.0001). Multivariable logistic analysis demonstrated a significant positive association between lack of prolonged (< 4 months) breastfeeding and the development of POMS (OR 2.2; 95[percnt] CI 1.23-3.93).

Conclusions: Preliminary analysis of our data demonstrates that infant breastfeeding for less than 4 months’ duration is associated with a two-fold increase in odds of future POMS diagnosis.