REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS There is no evidence to support feeding with a hydrolysed formula for the prevention of allergy in preference to exclusive breast feeding .
In high risk infants who are unable to be completely breast fed , there is evidence that prolonged feeding with a hydrolysed compared to a cow 's milk formula reduces infant and childhood allergy and infant CMA .
BACKGROUND Allergies and food reactions are common and may be associated with foods including adapted cow 's milk formulas .
Formulas containing hydrolysed proteins have been used to treat infants with allergy or food intolerance , and have been advocated for prevention of allergy and food intolerance in infants .
OBJECTIVES To determine whether use of hydrolysed formulas for infant feeding prevents allergy and food intolerance .
If hydrolysed formulas are effective , to determine what type of hydrolysed formula is most effective including extensively and partially hydrolysed formulas .
To determine which infants benefit including infants at low or high risk of allergy and infants receiving early , short term or prolonged formula feeding .
A DOUBLE-BLIND CONTROLLED CROSSOVER TRIAL OF AN ANTIGEN-AVOIDANCE DIET IN ATOPIC ECZEMA
20 out of 36 children ( aged two to eight years ) with atopic eczema completed a twelve-week , double-blind , controlled , crossover trial of an egg and cows ' milk exclusion diet . During the first and third four-week periods , patients on an egg and cows ' milk exclusion diet received a soya-based milk substitute ( trial period ) or an egg and cows ' milk preparation ( control period ) . Response was assessed in terms of eczema activity , number of areas affected , pruritus , sleeplessness , and antihistamine usage while on the two diets . During the middle period patients resumed their normal diet to minimise any carry-over effect .  14 patients  responded more favourably to the antigen-avoidance diet than to the control diet , whereas only 1 responded more favourably to the control diet than the trial diet . Patients experienced more benefit during the first diet period than the second , whatever the nature of the diet . There was no correlation between a positive prick test to egg and cows ' milk antigen and response to the trial diet
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS There is no evidence to support feeding with a hydrolysed formula for the prevention of allergy in preference to exclusive breast feeding .
In high risk infants who are unable to be completely breast fed , there is evidence that prolonged feeding with a hydrolysed compared to a cow 's milk formula reduces infant and childhood allergy and infant CMA .
BACKGROUND Allergies and food reactions are common and may be associated with foods including adapted cow 's milk formulas .
Formulas containing hydrolysed proteins have been used to treat infants with allergy or food intolerance , and have been advocated for prevention of allergy and food intolerance in infants .
OBJECTIVES To determine whether use of hydrolysed formulas for infant feeding prevents allergy and food intolerance .
If hydrolysed formulas are effective , to determine what type of hydrolysed formula is most effective including extensively and partially hydrolysed formulas .
To determine which infants benefit including infants at low or high risk of allergy and infants receiving early , short term or prolonged formula feeding .