Table 1.
Baseline characteristics in the intention-to-treat group (Mean ± standard deviation)
| EF group | SF group | All infants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | 422 | 349 | 771 |
| Age at enrolment (day) | 153 ± 44 | 151 ± 34 | 152 ± 40 |
| Weight at enrolment (kg) | 6.96 ± 1.02 | 6.98 ± 0.90 | 6.97 ± 0.96 |
| Length at enrolment (cm) | 64.0 ± 3.7 | 64.2 ± 3.8 | 64.1 ± 3.81 |
| Family history of allergy (%) | 38.4* | 27.0 | 33.2 |
| Personal history of allergy (%) | 16.1* | 10.0 | 13.3 |
| Number of siblings (n) | 0.69 ± 0.84 | 0.60 ± 0.85 | 0.66 ± 0.84 |
| Frequent infectious episodes in parents (%) | 7.7 | 5.2 | 6.5 |
| Smoking in the family home (%) | 15.4 | 17.9 | 16.5 |
| Number of infectious diseases since birth (n) | 1.0 ± 1.3* | 0.7 ± 1.2 | 0.9 ± 1.2 |
| Partly or exclusively breast feeding at inclusion (%) | 47.2 | 45.5 | 46.4 |
| Consumption of prebiotic- or probiotic-enriched infant formula before inclusion (%) | 20.6 | 15.4 | 18.3 |
| Dietary diversification before inclusion (%) | 85.0 | 87.4 | 86.1 |
| Daily volume of follow-on formula prescribed (mL) | 748 ± 180 | 752 ± 176 | 750 ± 178 |
| Addition of wheat to follow-on formula (%) | 27.8 | 28.4 | 28.1 |
*
p < 0.05 versus SF (Student's t-test or χ2/Fisher's exact test).