title: The effect of genetic and environmental factors on the prevalence of allergic disorders at the age of two years.
abstract: The effect of genetic and environmental factors on the prevalence of allergic disorders in early childhood was determined in a prospective follow-up study. Information was available on 1174 children at the age of 2 years. Two-hundred and seventy-five were considered to have an allergic disorder. The prevalence varied from 3.2% for rhinitis to 10.9% for asthma. At 2 years 60 children reacted positively on skin-prick test (SPT). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to obtain adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for each factor. For asthma, positive family history, male sex, low birth-weight, maternal smoking and season of birth were significant risk factors. For eczema, positive family history was the only significant risk factor. For rhinitis, lower socio-economic group and autumn birth were significant. Male sex and low birth-weight were significant for skin test positivity. Positive family history and low birth-weight were significant risk factors for any allergy. Low birth-weight was also a significant risk for skin test reactivity to house dust mite. Genetic and environmental factors have a profound effect on the development of allergic disorders in the first two years of life.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Allergy Research Unit, St Mary's Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight, UK.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Arshad
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hide
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E