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Objective: Bronchiolitis is one of the primary causes of hospitalization in infancy. We evaluated the effect of breastfeeding on the occurrence of hospitalization for bronchiolitis in the first year of life., Methods: In a prospective cohort study, 1,814 newborns of =33 weeks of gestational age (wGA) were enrolled in 30 Italian Neonatology Units and followed-up for 1 year to assess hospitalizations for bronchiolitis. Children were grouped as 'never breastfed' and 'ever breastfed'; these latter were further divided into those 'exclusively breastfed' and 'breastfed associated with milk formula'. The risk of hospitalization for bronchiolitis was evaluated with survival analysis, and hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence interval [95% CI] were calculated., Results: Among enrolled newborns 22.9% were 'never breastfed'; in the breastfed group, 65% were 'exclusively breastfed' and 35% were 'breastfed with associated milk formula'. At 12 months of age, the risk of hospitalization for bronchiolitis was significantly higher in the 'never breastfed' group (HR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.00-2.48). 'Breastfed associated with formula milk' and 'exclusively breastfed' groups were at similar risk of hospitalization for bronchiolitis. This observed protective effect of maternal milk was not explained by the higher prevalence of conditions able to increase the risk of bronchiolitis among 'never breastfed newborns'., Conclusions: Breastfeeding, even in association with formula milk, reduces the risk of hospitalization for bronchiolitis during the first year of life. Encouraging breastfeeding might be an effective/inexpensive measure of prevention of lower respiratory tract infections in infancy., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes respiratory infections during the first year of life. Very premature infants have more severe diseases and also 'late preterm infants' may be more susceptible to the infection., Aim of the Study: To evaluate in an Italian cohort the incidence and risk factors of severe hospitalized lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) induced or not by RSV during the first year of life., Methods: A cohort of 33(+0d)-34(+6d) wGA newborns paired with two sex- and age-matched 35(+0d)-37(+6d) wGA and ≥ 38(+0d) wGA newborns were enrolled. Hospitalization for LRTI induced or not by RSV during the first year of life was assessed through phone interview at the end of the RSV season (November-March) and at the completion of the first year of life. The parents were asked to report hospitalization for any reason., Results: 1064 neonates were enrolled (November 2009-October 2010), 697 had at least one phone follow-up by September 2010. Babies of 33(+0d)-34(+6d) wGA were more frequently conceived through assisted fertilization technologies, born from cesarean delivery had more frequently acute perinatal risk factors and were more frequently twins. After a mean 6 month-follow-up, we registered 29 hospitalizations for LRTI induced or not by RSV. Hospitalizations were slightly and non-significantly more frequent in 33(+0d)-37(+6d) wGA infants. The risk of hospitalization was significantly 60% reduced in breastfed babies and four folds significantly increased during the RSV season., Conclusion: The very preliminary data of this ongoing study suggest that in 'late-preterm' infants some individual/environmental characteristics of the infants play a relevant role in determining the risk of severe RSV infection., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)