title: Sensitization to four common inhalant allergens within 302 nuclear families.
abstract: The coincidence of allergic sensitization was investigated in 302 school-aged children and their parents. Specific sensitization to four common inhalant allergens (grass and birch pollens, cat dander, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) was ascertained by means of skin-prick tests (SPT) carried out on the complete family unit at the beginning of a 22-month follow-up period. The same test procedure was then repeated on the children twice at 11-month intervals to provide cumulative prevalences of sensitization. A clinical history of atopy in the children (hay fever or asthma; n = 47), which was derived from an interview, is associated with sensitization (positive SPT in 89%). For three allergens (grass and birch pollens, cat dander) sensitization occurs significantly more frequently in the children of mothers who are sensitized to the same allergen (odds-ratios (ORs), 2.5-4.1). Additionally, in three of the four explanatory models related to a single antigen, maternal sensitization to one of the complementary allergens is of importance (ORs, 2.7-3.7). In contrast to this finding, none of the paternal sensitizations has statistical significance. Based on a reaction to at least one of the four allergens, the child's relative risk to be sensitized is increased in case of maternal (OR, 2.88; P = 0.001) but not of paternal (OR, 1.06; P = 0.83) sensitization. In conclusion, our data indicate that the maternal status is more predictive than that of the father with regard to the child's risk of sensitization.
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuehr
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Karmaus
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frischer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hendel-Kramer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moseler
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stephan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Urbanek
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology; D006109:Poaceae; D015995:Prevalence; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens