title: Impact of Month of Birth on the Risk of Development of Autoimmune Addison's Disease.
abstract: The pathogenesis of autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) is thought to be due to interplay of genetic, immune, and environmental factors. A month-of-birth effect, with increased risk for those born in autumn/winter months, has been described in autoimmune conditions such as type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease.
  
  
  
  Month-of-birth effect was investigated in 2 independent cohorts of AAD subjects.
  
  
  
  The monthly distribution of birth in AAD patients was compared with that of the general population using the cosinor test. A total of 415 AAD subjects from the United Kingdom cohort were compared with 8 180 180 United Kingdom births, and 231 AAD subjects from the Polish cohort were compared with 2 421 384 Polish births.
  
  
  
  Association between month of birth and the susceptibility to AAD.
  
  
  
  In the entire cohort of AAD subjects, month-of-birth distribution analysis showed significant periodicity with peak of births in December and trough in May (P = .028). Analysis of the odds ratio distribution based on month of birth in 2 cohorts of patients with AAD versus the general population revealed a December peak and May trough, and January peak and July trough, in the United Kingdom and Polish cohorts, respectively.
  
  
  
  For the first time, we demonstrate that month of birth exerts an effect on the risk of developing AAD, with excess risk in individuals born in winter months and a protective effect when born in the summer. Exposure to seasonal viral infections in the perinatal period, coupled with vitamin D deficiency, could lead to dysregulation of innate immunity affecting the risk of developing AAD.
authors: Institute of Genetic Medicine (A.P., A.L.M., C.M.N., E.G., M..S-K., S.H.P.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ United Kingdom; Institute of Human Genetics (M.F.), Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479, Poznan, Poland; and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine (M.F., M.R.), Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland.
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Pazderska
authors: Institute of Genetic Medicine (A.P., A.L.M., C.M.N., E.G., M..S-K., S.H.P.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ United Kingdom; Institute of Human Genetics (M.F.), Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479, Poznan, Poland; and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine (M.F., M.R.), Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Fichna
authors: Institute of Genetic Medicine (A.P., A.L.M., C.M.N., E.G., M..S-K., S.H.P.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ United Kingdom; Institute of Human Genetics (M.F.), Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479, Poznan, Poland; and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine (M.F., M.R.), Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland.
authors: Anna L
authors: AL
authors: Mitchell
authors: Institute of Genetic Medicine (A.P., A.L.M., C.M.N., E.G., M..S-K., S.H.P.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ United Kingdom; Institute of Human Genetics (M.F.), Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479, Poznan, Poland; and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine (M.F., M.R.), Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland.
authors: Catherine M
authors: CM
authors: Napier
authors: Institute of Genetic Medicine (A.P., A.L.M., C.M.N., E.G., M..S-K., S.H.P.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ United Kingdom; Institute of Human Genetics (M.F.), Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479, Poznan, Poland; and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine (M.F., M.R.), Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland.
authors: Earn
authors: E
authors: Gan
authors: Institute of Genetic Medicine (A.P., A.L.M., C.M.N., E.G., M..S-K., S.H.P.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ United Kingdom; Institute of Human Genetics (M.F.), Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479, Poznan, Poland; and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine (M.F., M.R.), Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland.
authors: Marek
authors: M
authors: Ruchała
authors: Institute of Genetic Medicine (A.P., A.L.M., C.M.N., E.G., M..S-K., S.H.P.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ United Kingdom; Institute of Human Genetics (M.F.), Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479, Poznan, Poland; and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine (M.F., M.R.), Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland.
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Santibanez-Koref
authors: Institute of Genetic Medicine (A.P., A.L.M., C.M.N., E.G., M..S-K., S.H.P.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ United Kingdom; Institute of Human Genetics (M.F.), Polish Academy of Sciences, 60-479, Poznan, Poland; and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine (M.F., M.R.), Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland.
authors: Simon H
authors: SH
authors: Pearce
mesh_terms: D000224:Addison Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012306:Risk; D012621:Seasons; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult