AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Feeding with a soy formula can not be recommended for prevention of allergy or food intolerance in infants at high risk of allergy or food intolerance .
BACKGROUND Allergies and food reactions in infants and children are common and may be associated with a variety of foods including adapted cow 's milk formula .
Soy based formulas have been used to treat infants with allergy or food intolerance .
However , it is unclear whether they can help prevent allergy and food intolerance in infants without clinical evidence of allergy or food intolerance .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of feeding adapted soy formula compared to human milk , cow 's milk formula or a hydrolysed protein formula on preventing allergy or food intolerance in infants without clinical evidence of allergy or food intolerance .
Effect of feeding whey hydrolysate, soy and conventional cow milk formulas on incidence of atopic disease in high risk infants.
The effect of feeding different infant formulas on incidence of atopic disease was assessed in a prospect i ve double-blind r and omized controlled trial among " high risk " infants with family history of atopy among first-degree relatives . The incidence of atopic eczema , wheezing , rhinitis , gastrointestinal symptoms , and colic was noted and serum IgE antibodies to milk were estimated . Seventy-two infants were recruited into each of the following groups : cow milk whey hydrolysate formula ( NAN/HA ) , conventional cow milk formula ( Similac ) , soy-based formula ( Isomil ) , and exclusive breast feeding for greater than or equal to 4 months .  The number of infants who exited for reasons other than atopy and were excluded from analysis were 4 , 5 , 4 , and 12 in the four groups , respectively . The incidence of one or more symptoms of possible allergic etiology was five of 68 infants fed NAN/HA , 24 of 67 infants fed Similac , 25 of 68 infants fed Isomil , and 12 of 60 breast-fed infants . Among symptomatic infants , skin prick test to milk proteins was positive in four out of five infants fed NAN/HA , 16 of 24 fed Similac , 2 of 25 fed Isomil , and 7 of 12 breast-fed . IgE antibodies to milk were found in 2 of 68 , 9 of 67 , 0 of 68 , and 6 of 60 infants in the four groups , respectively . It is concluded that exclusive breast feeding for more than 4 months is partially protective against the development of atopic disease among high risk infants . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Feeding with a soy formula can not be recommended for prevention of allergy or food intolerance in infants at high risk of allergy or food intolerance .
BACKGROUND Allergies and food reactions in infants and children are common and may be associated with a variety of foods including adapted cow 's milk formula .
Soy based formulas have been used to treat infants with allergy or food intolerance .
However , it is unclear whether they can help prevent allergy and food intolerance in infants without clinical evidence of allergy or food intolerance .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of feeding adapted soy formula compared to human milk , cow 's milk formula or a hydrolysed protein formula on preventing allergy or food intolerance in infants without clinical evidence of allergy or food intolerance .