title: Allergic disease and sensitization in Steiner school children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The anthroposophic lifestyle has several features of interest in relation to allergy: for example, a restrictive use of antibiotics and certain vaccinations. In a previous Swedish study, Steiner school children (who often have an anthroposophic lifestyle) showed a reduced risk of atopy, but specific protective factors could not be identified.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate factors that may contribute to the lower risk of allergy among Steiner school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional multicenter study including 6630 children age 5 to 13 years (4606 from Steiner schools and 2024 from reference schools) in 5 European countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of several studied outcomes was lower in Steiner school children than in the reference group. Overall, there were statistically significant reduced risks for rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic eczema, and atopic sensitization (allergen-specific IgE > or =0.35 kU/L), with some heterogeneity between the countries. Focusing on doctor-diagnosed disease, use of antibiotics during first year of life was associated with increased risks of rhinoconjunctivitis (odds ratio [OR], 1.97; 95% CI, 1.26-3.08), asthma (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 2.03-3.83), and atopic eczema (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.22-2.17). Early use of antipyretics was related to an increased risk of asthma (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.11-2.13) and atopic eczema (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.02-1.71). Children having received measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination showed an increased risk of rhinoconjunctivitis, whereas measles infection was associated with a lower risk of IgE-mediated eczema.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certain features of the anthroposophic lifestyle, such as restrictive use of antibiotics and antipyretics, are associated with a reduced risk of allergic disease in children.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Helen.Floistrup@ki.se
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flöistrup
authors.forename: Jackie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.forename: Johan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Alm
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheynius
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Hage
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waser
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braun-Fahrländer
authors.forename: Dieneke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schram-Bijkerk
authors.forename: Machteld
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zutavern
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: von Mutius
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ublagger
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Riedler
authors.forename: Karin B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Michaels
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pershagen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000009:adverse effects; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000209:etiology; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine