Atopy in wheezing infants always starts with monosensitization

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
• Respiratory Medicine
• Immunology

Background:

• Allergic sensitization is common in asthmatic children.
• Polysensitization is considered the typical progression of allergic disease.
• The early development of polysensitization in infants with wheezing requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if polysensitization occurs early in infants experiencing wheezing.
• To track the development of allergic sensitization from infancy to childhood.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 98 infants under one year of age with new-onset wheezing was studied.
• Skin-prick tests were performed at baseline and at 2 and 5 years.
• Longitudinal follow-up assessed changes in sensitization status.

Main Results:

• At wheezing onset, 20% of infants showed sensitization; by age 6, over 60% were sensitized.
• No infants were polysensitized at baseline; most sensitized children were polysensitized by age 6.
• Sensitization increased with age, with house-dust mites being the primary allergen.

Conclusions:

• Respiratory allergy initiates with monosensitization in infants.
• The study confirms the natural progression of allergy towards polysensitization over time.
• Wheezing resolution is more likely in non-allergic children.