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Objective: To investigate the serum and milk in active-smoking and nonsmoking mothers, and their infants’ insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels. Design and Setting: A cohort study conducted at a tertiary medical center. Subjects: Forty-four mothers (age range: 21–34 years) and their newborns (7 days old) were enrolled in the study. Mothers were interviewed and classified according to their smoking status into one of two groups: the active-smoking mothers (n = 21) and the nonsmoking mothers (n = 23). Results: There was no difference noted in either IGF-I, IGFBP-3 or IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratios in serum and milk of mothers, and their infants’ serum samples according to maternal smoking. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that maternal smoking (5–10 cigarettes/day) did not influence the maternal and infant serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 as well as the breast milk levels of these peptides. Copyright © 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In mammals the composition of milk changes during early lactation showing a rapid decline in fat-soluble vitamins and a continuous increase in total lipids. Changes in the concentrations of carotenoids, vitamin A, α-tocopherol and total lipids in human milk (colostrum, transitory and mature milk) were studied to understand this not well characterised phenomenon. Methods: Colostrum, transitory and mature milk was collected from 21 women and analysed for carotenoids, vitamin A and α-tocopherol by HPLC. Results: Total lipids increased from the lowest levels in colostrum (1.5 ± 1.6 mg/ml) to the highest in transitory milk (3.6 ± 2.5 mg/ml, p < 0.01). Contrary to this, levels of total carotenoids (236.7 ± 121.9 ng/ml), vitamin A (1.02 ± 0.56 μg/ml) and α-tocopherol (11.8 ± 6.3 μg/ml) were highest in colostrum and declined significantly during the first weeks of lactation (63.2 ± 23.3 ng/ml, 0.33 ± 0.14 μg/ml, 2.7 ± 1.1 μg/ml, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The magnitude of decrease was not the same for all carotenoids and was dependent on the polarity of the carotenoid with the smallest decrease in the polar carotenoids. This might be due to differences in the distribution of carotenoids among plasma lipoproteins and might point to possible selective mechanisms being involved in the transfer of these components in early human milk.Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the levels of cytokines in breast milk from allergic and nonallergic mothers. Materials and methods; Major cytokine in human breast milk.