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The Relationship between Maternal Atopy and Childhood Asthma in Pretoria, South Africa

Salome Abbott1, Piet Becker, Robin J Green

  • 1Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Pretoria, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa.

ISRN Allergy
|June 1, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Maternal history of asthma or allergies are poor indicators for predicting childhood atopic asthma. Even with a doctor

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Genetics and Epidemiology of Asthma

Background:

  • Childhood asthma diagnosis is challenging, often relying on surrogate markers like atopy.
  • Atopic asthma, characterized by allergic sensitization, is common in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the predictive value of maternal atopic status and asthma history for childhood atopic asthma.
  • To determine if maternal factors are reliable indicators for diagnosing atopic asthma in children.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of asthmatic children and their mothers were studied.
  • Children were classified into atopic and nonatopic asthma groups.
  • Mothers completed questionnaires regarding atopic features and medical history.

Main Results:

  • Maternal history of asthma showed a statistically significant association (P=0.045) with childhood atopic asthma (OR 4.76).
  • However, this association had low sensitivity (21.9%), indicating it's a poor predictor.
  • No significant differences were found based on maternal skin prick test (SPT) results or general allergic symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal allergic conditions and asthma history are not strong predictors of childhood atopic asthma.
  • Despite a statistically significant increased risk associated with maternal asthma diagnosis, its low sensitivity limits clinical utility.
  • Relying solely on maternal history for predicting childhood atopic asthma is unreliable.

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