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 .
Extensively and partially hydrolysed infant formulas for allergy prophylaxis
The allergy preventive effect of extensively ( N ) and partially ( PH ) hydrolysed cows ’ milk formulas compared with a regular formula ( RM ) was assessed in 155 infants with a family history of allergy . No cows ’ milk was given during the first nine months of life and no egg and fish  up to 12 months of age . Breast feeding mothers avoided the same foods . At weaning the infants were r and omised to one of the formula groups . The cumulative incidence of atopic symptoms at 18 months was 51 , 64 , and 84 % in the N , PH , and RM groups , respectively . From 6 to 18 months there were significantly less cumulative atopic symptoms in the N group compared with the RM group , and significantly less than the PH group up to 6 ( N = 25 % ; PH = 46 % ) and 9 months ( N = 34 % , PH = 58 % ) . At 9 months significantly fewer infants in the N group ( 10 % ) than in the PH group ( 33 % ) had a positive skin prick test to eggs . The findings support an allergy preventive effect of an extensively hydrolysed formula , but not of a partially hydrolysed formula , during the first 18 months of life of high risk infants
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 .