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House dust mite sensitization in toddlers predicts current wheeze at age 12 years

Caroline J Lodge1, Adrian J Lowe, Lyle C Gurrin

  • 1Centre for MEGA Epidemiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. clodge@unimelb.edu.au

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|August 9, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Early house dust mite (HDM) sensitization in children with allergy risk factors predicts future asthma. Identifying HDM sensitization in infants with wheeze or eczema can identify high-risk children for asthma.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Identifying children at risk for asthma is crucial for early intervention.
  • Allergen sensitization is a potential early marker for identifying high-risk children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if skin prick tests (SPTs) for allergens in early childhood predict wheeze at age 12.
  • To assess the predictive value of sensitization to specific allergens, particularly house dust mite (HDM), for later asthma development.

Main Methods:

  • A birth cohort of 620 children, oversampled for familial allergy, underwent SPTs at 6, 12, and 24 months.
  • Sensitization status (monosensitized, polysensitized) to 6 allergens was recorded.
  • Wheeze and eczema were monitored during the first two years, and wheeze was assessed again at age 12.

Main Results:

  • Positive SPT to house dust mite (HDM) at ages 1 or 2 years significantly predicted wheeze at age 12.
  • HDM sensitization in 1-year-olds with wheeze or eczema substantially increased the probability of wheeze at age 12.
  • The predictive value was observed even in children with both eczema and wheeze at age 1.

Conclusions:

  • HDM sensitization in early childhood (ages 1-2) is a significant predictor of asthma in children with a family history of allergy.
  • These findings suggest that early allergen sensitization assessment, particularly for HDM, can inform management strategies for high-risk children.
  • Targeted interventions for sensitized infants may help mitigate asthma development.
Abstract

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