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 .
Food and drug reactions, wheezing, and eczema in preterm infants.
Allergic reactions were investigated in 777 preterm infants who were r and omly assigned to early diet and followed up to 18 months post term .  Wheezing or asthma was common ( incidence 23 % ) ; it was associated with neonatal ventilation , maternal smoking , and a family history of atopy and was unexpectedly reduced in babies born by caesarean section . Even in non-ventilated infants , the incidence of subsequent wheezing was 18 % , rising to an estimated 44 % ( using logistic regression ) when the foregoing risk factors ( excluding ventilation ) were present .  Eczema occurred in 151 infants ( 19 % ) and was strongly associated with  multiple pregnancy  ( 30 % incidence in twins or triplets ) . Reactions to cows ' milk ( incidence : 4.4 % from detailed history ; 0.8 % confirmed by challenge ) , other foods ( 10 % ) , and drugs ( 5 % ) were within the range reported in full term infants . Milk and food reactions were associated with multiple pregnancy ( 19 % ) and a family history of atopy . Reactions to drugs were least likely to occur in infants who had been ventilated and were on multiple medications in the neonatal period , suggesting that drug tolerance may have developed . We speculate that preterm infants may be a high risk group for asthma and eczema , which could imply an association between atopy and prematurity
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 .