title: Manifestation of atopy is not related to patient's month of birth.
abstract: The first months of life may be an important period for allergic sensitization. Several studies suggest a relationship between the month of birth (MB) and the development of skin sensitivity to aeroallergens or the manifestation of an atopic disease. In 1988 and 1989 we investigated a population of 1066 Bavarian preschool children aged 5-6 years. Skin prick tests were performed with common aeroallergens (grass pollen, birch pollen, house-dust mite, cat epithelia). The personal history of atopic disease (atopic eczema, allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma) was recorded by a questionnaire, and the presence of overt atopic disease was documented by a personal examination. Positive prick test reactions to the above-mentioned aeroallergens were found in 15.4%, 9.2%, 12.2%, and 10.4% of the subjects, respectively; lifetime prevalence of manifest atopic disease was 22.2% for atopic eczema, 11.7% for allergic rhinitis, and 4.5% for asthma. The MB distributions of children reacting to aeroallergens or of those with atopic diseases were compared with those of subjects with corresponding negative findings. Chi-square tests were performed for each aeroallergen and each of the atopic diseases separately. No significant differences among the MB distributions were found (P > 0.3). Thus, in this coherent group, MB correlated neither to allergic sensitization nor to manifest atopic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hamburg University, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Przybilla
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kunz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greif
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uberla
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens