title: Protective and risk factors for allergic diseases in high-risk children at the ages of two and five years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Environmental and lifestyle factors such as breast-feeding and pets seem to affect atopic disease prevalence. We identified risk factors for allergic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively followed until the age of 5 years a cohort of 1,223 children born into allergic families, who participated in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of probiotics as preventive against allergic disease. We evaluated the cumulative incidence of allergic diseases with questionnaires and examined all children at the ages of 2 and 5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to allergy in one parent only, allergy in both parents conferred an increased risk of allergic disease at the ages of 2 (OR 1.64; 95% CI 1.11-2.42, p = 0.013) and 5 (OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.24-2.70, p = 0.002) and at the age of 2 for eczema (OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.17-2.58, p = 0.006). Exclusive breast-feeding over 2 months elevated the risk of eczema at the ages of 2 (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.15-2.61, p = 0.009) and 5 (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.03-2.23, p = 0.036). Cat or dog exposure at 0-2 years and at 0-5 years protected against IgE sensitization until 5 years of age (OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.37-1.00, p = 0.048, and OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.39-0.96, p = 0.033), and exposure at the ages of 0-5 years protected against allergic rhinitis until the age of 5 (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.25-0.85, p = 0.013) in the probiotic group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allergy in both parents is an independent predictor of eczema and of allergic disease until the ages of 2 and 5. Long, exclusive breast-feeding was associated with increased eczema at the ages of 2 and 5, and cat or dog exposure was associated with decreased IgE sensitization and allergic rhinitis in the probiotic group.
authors: Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Urpu
authors: U
authors: Sandini
authors: Anna Kaarina
authors: AK
authors: Kukkonen
authors: Tuija
authors: T
authors: Poussa
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Sandini
authors: Erkki
authors: E
authors: Savilahti
authors: Mikael
authors: M
authors: Kuitunen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002415:Cats; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004285:Dogs; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D057805:Pets / Q000276:immunology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007073:Immunoglobulin E