Open this publication in new window or tab >>Show others...
2013 (English)In: PLOS ONE, E-ISSN 1932-6203, Vol. 8, no 6, p. e66777.-Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Cord blood IgE has previously been studied as a possible predictor of asthma and allergic diseases. Results from different studies have been contradictory, and most have focused on high-risk infants and early infancy. Few studies have followed their study population into adulthood. This study assessed whether cord blood IgE levels and a family history of asthma were associated with, and could predict, asthma medication and allergy-related respiratory symptoms in adults.
A follow-up was carried out in a Swedish birth cohort comprising 1701 consecutively born children. In all, 1661 individuals could be linked to the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and the Medical Birth Register, and 1227 responded to a postal questionnaire. Cord blood IgE and family history of asthma were correlated with reported respiratory symptoms and dispensed asthma medication at 32–34 years.
Elevated cord blood IgE was associated with a two- to threefold increased risk of pollen-induced respiratory symptoms and dispensed anti-inflammatory asthma medication. Similarly, a family history of asthma was associated with an increased risk of pollen-induced respiratory symptoms and anti-inflammatory medication. However, only 8% of the individuals with elevated cord blood IgE or a family history of asthma in infancy could be linked to current dispensation of anti-inflammatory asthma medication at follow-up.
Elevated cord blood IgE and a positive family history of asthma were associated with reported respiratory symptoms and dispensed asthma medication in adulthood, but their predictive power was poor in this long-time follow-up.
Keywords
birth cohort, cord blood, family history, prediction, prescription
National Category
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-85156 (URN)10.1371/journal.pone.0066777 (DOI)000320846500104 ()
Note
The status of this article was on the day of the defence date Manuscript.
2012-11-072012-11-072025-02-20Bibliographically approved