title: The relationship between anthropometric measurements at birth: asthma and atopy in childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have reported that a large head circumference at birth is associated with an increased risk of raised serum IgE in adult life, and asthma during childhood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between head circumference and other anthropometric measurements at birth and asthma and indices of atopy in childhood.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence of asthma and measures of atopic status (total serum IgE level and skin prick tests to common allergens) were assessed prospectively in offspring of families participating in a community-based genetic study in Southampton, UK. Measures of perinatal variables including birth weight, head circumference at birth, and gestational age were obtained from hospital records of 239 offspring aged 6-23 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with a head circumference of 37 cm or more at birth had a relative risk of an elevated serum total IgE (> 150 IU) of 3.2 (95% CI 1.0-10.4). There were no consistent relationships between head circumference at birth and either skin prick positivity or the development of clinical asthma. There was no significant association between other perinatal markers and measures of atopic status or clinical asthma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study has identified that a large head circumference at birth is associated with an increased risk of an elevated total serum IgE in childhood. The reasons for this association, and the lack of an association with asthma are unclear and will require further research.
authors: The Immunopharmacology Group, University Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gregory
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Doull
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Pearce
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Cheng
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Leadbitter
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Holgate
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Beasley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D001724:Birth Weight; D002648:Child; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E