title: Links between anxiety and allergies: psychobiological reality or possible methodological bias?
abstract: The objective of the study was to examine the link between anxiety and allergies to establish whether it reflects a psychobiological reality or a possible methodological bias. A cohort of 1,037 children enrolled in the study. Anxiety disorders were assessed between 11 and 21 years. Anxious personality was assessed at 18 years. Allergies were examined at 21 years by (a) self reports, (b) skin pricks, and (c) serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE). Self-reported allergies were predicted by recurrent anxiety disorders (OR [95% CI]=1.56 [1.06-2.30], p=.023) and self-reports of anxious personality (OR [95% CI]=1.67 [1.17-2.37], p=.004): Objectively verified allergies were not. These results suggest that the link between anxiety and allergies may reflect a methodological artifact rather than a psychobiological reality.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Goldsmiths College, University of London, Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW. a.gregory@gold.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alice M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Avshalom
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caspi
authors.forename: Terrie E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Moffitt
authors.forename: Barry J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Milne
authors.forename: Richie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poulton
authors.forename: Malcolm R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sears
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012882:Skin Tests; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E