title: Season of birth and food allergy in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of food allergy is rising, and etiologic factors remain uncertain. Evidence implicates a role for vitamin D in the development of atopic diseases. Based on seasonal patterns of UV-B exposure (and consequent vitamin D status), we hypothesized that patients with food allergy are more often born in fall or winter.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether season of birth is associated with food allergy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a multicenter medical record review of all patients presenting to 3 Boston emergency departments (EDs) for food-related acute allergic reactions between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2006. Months of birth in patients with food allergy were compared with that of patients visiting the ED for reasons other than food allergy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 1002 patients with food allergy. Of younger children with food allergy (age < 5 years), but not older children or adults, 41% were born in spring or summer compared with 59% in fall or winter (P = .002). This approximately 40:60 ratio differed from birth season in children treated in the ED for non-food allergy reasons (P = .002). Children younger than 5 years born in fall or winter had a 53% higher odds of food allergy compared with controls. This finding was independent of the suspected triggering food and allergic comorbidities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Food allergy is more common in Boston children born in the fall and winter seasons. We propose that these findings are mediated by seasonal differences in UV-B exposure. These results add support to the hypothesis that seasonal fluctuations in sunlight and perhaps vitamin D may be involved in the pathogenesis of food allergy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Milo F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Vassallo
authors.forename: Aleena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerji
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rudders
authors.forename: Sunday
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Raymond J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Camargo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036801:Parturition; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012621:Seasons; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
references.citation: Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2004 Jun;15(3):242-6
references.pmid: 15209957
references.citation: Br J Dermatol. 2008 Jul;159(1):245-7
references.pmid: 18489598
references.citation: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007 Nov;1117:94-105
references.pmid: 17656563
references.citation: Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2004 Nov 15;170(10):1057-65
references.pmid: 15282200
references.citation: J Neurol. 2009 Sep;256(9):1468-79
references.pmid: 19399382
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Mar;123(3):689-93
references.pmid: 19217654
references.citation: J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2009;19(3):180-7
references.pmid: 19610260
references.citation: Allergy. 2008 Mar;63(3):354-9
references.pmid: 18053008
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008 Aug;122(2):407-12, 412.e1-4
references.pmid: 18678343
references.citation: Arch Dis Child. 1997 Apr;76(4):341-4
references.pmid: 9166028
references.citation: Allergy. 2009 Sep;64(9):1246-55
references.pmid: 19663867
references.citation: Nutr Rev. 2008 Oct;66(10 Suppl 2):S182-94
references.pmid: 18844847
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003 Dec;112(6):1203-7
references.pmid: 14657884
references.citation: Clin Exp Allergy. 2008 Feb;38(2):298-304
references.pmid: 18070154
references.citation: Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2010 Mar;21(2 Pt 2):e413-20
references.pmid: 19943914
references.citation: J Asthma. 2007 May;44(4):257-60
references.pmid: 17530522
references.citation: Clin Exp Dermatol. 2000 Oct;25(7):552-8
references.pmid: 11122227
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Oct;124(4):850-2.e2
references.pmid: 19703706
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 2004 May;126(6):1504-17
references.pmid: 15168363
references.citation: Thorax. 2007 Jan;62(1):91-6
references.pmid: 16950836
references.citation: Inflamm Allergy Drug Targets. 2009 Jun;8(2):161-8
references.pmid: 19537326
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999 Jun;103(6):1148-52
references.pmid: 10359898
references.citation: Allergol Int. 2008 Jun;57(2):175-80
references.pmid: 18427167
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007 Jul;120(1):131-6
references.pmid: 17559916
references.citation: Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2004 Nov 1;170(9):967-73
references.pmid: 15282199
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 2009 Mar 23;169(6):626-32
references.pmid: 19307527
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001 Jul;108(1):128-32
references.pmid: 11447394
references.citation: Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2007 Jun;18(4):281-7
references.pmid: 17346293
references.citation: Hum Immunol. 2009 May;70(5):345-52
references.pmid: 19405173
references.citation: Clin Exp Allergy. 2009 Jun;39(6):875-82
references.pmid: 19522996
references.citation: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2000 Jan;84(1):37-42
references.pmid: 10674563
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007 Mar;119(3):711-7
references.pmid: 17215033
references.citation: J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1988 Aug;67(2):373-8
references.pmid: 2839537
references.citation: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2008 Oct;101(4):387-93
references.pmid: 18939727
references.citation: Ann Epidemiol. 2006 Sep;16(9):696-700
references.pmid: 16516491
references.citation: Pediatr Pulmonol. 2006 Dec;41(12):1125-8
references.pmid: 17034060
references.citation: Lancet. 2006 Aug 26;368(9537):733-43
references.pmid: 16935684
references.citation: Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 Mar;61(3 Suppl):638S-645S
references.pmid: 7879731
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006 Feb;117(2):391-7
references.pmid: 16461139
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007 Sep;120(3):638-46
references.pmid: 17628647
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Jun;104(6):1608-9
references.pmid: 19491885
references.citation: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2009 Dec;103(6):488-95
references.pmid: 20084842