Trends in eczema, rhinitis, and rye grass sensitization in a longitudinal asthma cohort.
BACKGROUND
Atopic conditions are prevalent in the Western world, with limited long-term data on atopic trends in patients with asthma.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the trends in eczema, rhinitis, and allergic sensitization in a longitudinal childhood asthma cohort.


METHODS
Four hundred eighty-four patients were recruited at 7 years of age and followed regularly to 50 years of age. Subjects completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire to define current eczema and rhinitis. Skin prick testing to rye grass also was performed.


RESULTS
The participation rate over the past 4 decades has been maintained at 72% to 91%. There was a decrease in the prevalence of eczema in the past 12 months in groups with viral-associated wheeze (21% to 8%, P = .002), asthma (47% to 18%, P < .001), and severe asthma (69% to 28%, P < .001) from 14 to 21 years of age. Conversely, there was an increase in the prevalence of rhinitis in the previous 12 months in groups without asthma (1% to 6%, P = .04; 1% to 20%, P = .008), with viral-associated wheeze (16% to 28%, P = .006; 16% to 49%, P < .001), and with asthma (45% to 56%, P = .2; 45% to 73%, P = .014) from recruitment to 10 and 14 years of age, respectively. There were 2 peaks in prevalence in the sensitization to rye grass in this cohort from 7 to 10 years of age and from 14 to 21 years of age in all groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The adolescence phase appears to be an important period in the body's response to allergens whereby eczema decreases in prevalence, whereas rhinitis and rye grass sensitization increase in prevalence.
Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children' Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: andrew.tai@health.sa.gov.au.
Andrew
A
Tai
Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Haily
H
Tran
Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Mary
M
Roberts
Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Nadeene
N
Clarke
Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, The Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia.
John
J
Wilson
Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Colin F
CF
Robertson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D008129:Lolium / Q000276:immunology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D000485:Allergens