title: Phenotype definition, age, and gender in the genetics of asthma and atopy.
abstract: When studying genetics of complex diseases it is important to have a clearly described and objective phenotype. When drawing conclusions in association studies, age and gender of the population should be considered. Until we know what causes phenotypic differences between males and females and between children and adults, we should try to study longitudinal cohorts with phenotype assessment at different time points and stratify our analyses for gender. To acquire sufficient power for these types of analyses, international collaboration may be the only way to elucidate the intricate, gene-environmental interactions in atopy and asthma in an age- and gender-dependent manor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen 9700 RB, The Netherlands. r.w.bottema@int.umcg.nl
authors.forename: R W B
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Bottema
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Reijmerink
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Koppelman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kerkhof
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Postma
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D012737:Sex Factors