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Published on: August 7, 2017
Parental smoking and development of allergic sensitization from birth to adolescence
J D Thacher1, O Gruzieva1, G Pershagen1,2
1Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure in infancy increases the risk of food allergies and eczema in children up to age 16. Maternal smoking during pregnancy did not show a significant link to sensitization.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Environmental Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The link between secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure and allergic sensitization in children remains unclear.
- Investigating the impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy and postnatal SHS exposure on allergic sensitization is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if maternal smoking during pregnancy and postnatal SHS exposure contribute to allergic sensitization in children and adolescents up to 16 years of age.
Main Methods:
- A birth cohort of 3316 children was followed for 16 years.
- SHS exposure and allergic symptoms were assessed via parental questionnaires.
- Serum IgE levels for common allergens were measured at ages 4, 8, and 16.
Main Results:
- SHS exposure in infancy, without in-utero exposure, elevated the risk of food sensitization by age 4 (OR 1.47) and persisted to age 16.
- SHS in infancy was associated with an increased risk of eczema combined with sensitization (OR 1.62).
- Maternal smoking during pregnancy showed no association with sensitization up to age 16.
Conclusions:
- Infant exposure to SHS increases the risk of sensitization to food allergens up to age 16.
- SHS exposure in infancy is linked to an elevated risk of eczema in sensitized children.
Background:
The relation between secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure and the development of allergic sensitization in children is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether maternal smoking during pregnancy and postnatal SHS exposure contributes to the development of allergic sensitization in children and adolescents up to 16 years of age.
Methods:
We included 3316 children from a birth cohort followed up for 16 years. SHS exposure and symptoms of allergic disease were assessed using repeated parental questionnaires. Serum immunoglobulin E against eight common inhalant and six food allergens was assessed at ages 4, 8, and 16 years with ImmunoCAP. The association between SHS exposure and sensitization was explored using logistic regression and generalized estimating equations.
Results:
Exposure to SHS in infancy without prior exposure in utero was associated with an excess risk of food sensitization at age 4 years (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.08-2.00), with comparable ORs at ages 8 and 16 years. In longitudinal analyses, an overall association was indicated between SHS in infancy and food sensitization up to age 16 years (OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.98-1.56). Maternal smoking during pregnancy was unrelated to sensitization up to 16 years of age. When sensitization was combined with concurrent symptoms of allergic disease, SHS in infancy was associated with an overall elevated risk of eczema with sensitization (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.20-2.18).
Conclusions:
SHS exposure in infancy appears to increase the risk of sensitization to food allergens up to age 16 years, as well as eczema in combination with sensitization.
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