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Development and comorbidity of eczema, asthma and rhinitis to age 12: data from the BAMSE birth cohort

N Ballardini1, I Kull, T Lind

  • 1Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.natalia.ballardini@ki.se

Allergy
|February 17, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Allergy-related diseases like eczema, asthma, and rhinitis affect many children, with comorbidity increasing with age. Parental allergy and male sex are risk factors, highlighting the need to view these conditions holistically.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Public Health Research
  • Longitudinal Cohort Studies

Background:

  • Allergy-related diseases pose a significant public health challenge.
  • Limited data exists on the developmental trajectory and comorbidity of these conditions in children.
  • Understanding these patterns is crucial for effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the development of eczema, asthma, and rhinitis in a population-based cohort of children.
  • To examine the influence of sex and parental allergy on disease development and comorbidity.
  • To analyze disease dynamics and risk factors from infancy through childhood.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based cohort study followed 2916 children from birth up to 12 years of age.
  • Parental questionnaires were administered at ages 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 years to collect data on allergy-related diseases.
  • Generalized estimating equations were used to calculate odds ratios for disease risk in relation to heredity and sex.

Main Results:

  • By age 12, 58% of children experienced at least one allergy-related disease (eczema, asthma, or rhinitis).
  • Disease incidence and remission were dynamic throughout childhood, with comorbidity increasing with age (7.5% affected by multiple conditions at 12 years).
  • Parental allergy significantly increased comorbidity and disease persistence (aOR 1.76), while male sex was associated with higher risk throughout childhood.

Conclusions:

  • A majority of children may be affected by allergy-related diseases during childhood.
  • Eczema, asthma, and rhinitis exhibit dynamic development and common comorbidity in children.
  • These findings underscore the importance of considering allergy-related diseases as interconnected rather than isolated conditions.
Abstract

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