Risk Of Hay Fever Research Articles

Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Organophosphate Esters and Replacement Flame Retardant Mixtures and Childhood Respiratory Outcomes

BackgroundEarly life exposure to single organophosphate esters (OPEs) and replacement brominated flame retardants (RBFRs) has been associated with adverse childhood respiratory outcomes, but the effects of OPE and RBFR mixtures are unknown. Methods377 pregnant women were recruited to the Health Outcomes and Measures of Environment (HOME) Study from 2003 to 2006 in Cincinnati, Ohio and later delivered singleton infants. We measured house dust OPEs and RBFRs prenatally at 20 weeks of gestation and postnatally at child age of 12 months and urinary OPEs prenatally at 16 and 26 weeks of gestation and at delivery and postnatally at child ages of 12 and 24 months. We performed Quantile G-computation (QG-computation) and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) to assess the association of the exposure mixtures with wheeze and hay fever by child age of 5 years and evaluate the individual exposure effects and their interactions within the mixtures. ResultsIn QG-computation, a quartile increase in all urinary OPEs sampled at age 12 months was associated with 16% higher risk of wheeze (RR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.35). In BKMR, mixtures of prenatal OPEs and RBFRs, urinary OPEs at 16 weeks of gestation or 12 months of age and prenatal average urinary OPEs were associated with higher risk of childhood wheeze. Mixtures of prenatal average urinary OPEs were positively associated with childhood hay fever. When other exposures were fixed at their median value, prenatal dust tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and urinary bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP) were associated with higher hay fever risk, while dust prenatal tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) was associated with lower risk. ConclusionsThese results suggest that early life exposure to OPE and RBFR mixtures may be risk factors for adverse respiratory outcomes in childhood.

Associations between endometriosis and allergy-related diseases as well as different specific immunoglobulin E allergy: A cross-sectional study.

To explore the associations between endometriosis and different kinds of allergy-related diseases as well as different specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) allergy. This cross-sectional study included 1332 female participants ≥20 years and divided them into the endometriosis group (n=97) and the nonendometriosis group (n=1235). The confounders were obtained by comparing the differences of variables in groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the associations between endometriosis and allergy-related diseases as well as different specific IgE allergy. Subgroup analysis were performed in age, body mass index (BMI), and pregnancy history. After adjusting for confounders, increased risk of allergy (odd ratios [OR]=2.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31-3.47), hay fever (OR=2.31, 95%CI: 1.32-4.06), and dog-specific IgE (OR=2.13, 95%CI: 1.03-4.41) were observed in females with endometriosis. Among females aged between 30 and 39 years, the risk of allergy (OR=3.51, 95%CI: 1.07-11.56), hay fever (OR=3.26, 95%CI: 1.08-9.83), and dog-specific IgE (OR=4.39, 95%CI: 1.02-18.88) was increased in patients with endometriosis compared with those without. In terms of females aged 40 to 49 years, the risk of hay fever was increased in patients with endometriosis. For females with BMI of 25-30 kg/m2 , the risk of allergy was increased in patients with endometriosis. Increased risk of allergy, hay fever, and dog-specific IgE was observed in females with a history of pregnancy. Endometriosis was associated with higher risk of allergy, hay fever, and dog dander. Special care should be provided for patients with endometriosis for the potential risk of allergy.

Continuous Rather Than Solely Early Farm Exposure Protects From Hay Fever Development

An important window of opportunity for early-life exposures has been proposed for the development of atopic eczema and asthma. However, it is unknown whether hay fever with a peak incidence around late school age to adolescence is similarly determined very early in life. In the Protection against Allergy-Study in Rural Environments (PASTURE) birth cohort potentially relevant exposures such as farm milk consumption and exposure to animal sheds were assessed at multiple time points from infancy to age 10.5 years and classified by repeated measure latent class analyses (n= 769). Fecal samples at ages 2 and 12 months were sequenced by 16S rRNA. Hay fever was defined by parent-reported symptoms and/or physician's diagnosis of hay fever in the last 12 months using questionnaires at 10.5 years. Farm children had half the risk of hay fever at 10.5 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.50; 95% CI 0.31-0.79) than that of nonfarm children. Whereas early life events such as gut microbiome richness at 12 months (aOR 0.66; 95% CI 0.46-0.96) and exposure to animal sheds in the first 3 years of life (aOR 0.26; 95% CI 0.06-1.15) were determinants of hay fever, the continuous consumption of farm milk from infancy up to school age was necessary to exert the protective effect (aOR 0.35; 95% CI 0.17-0.72). While early life events determine the risk of subsequent hay fever, continuous exposure is necessary to achieve protection. These findings argue against the notion that only early life exposures set long-lasting trajectories.

Self-reported hay fever diagnosis and associations with sociodemographic characteristics among adults and children in the United States

BackgroundHay fever (allergic rhinitis) is a common condition that causes unpleasant respiratory symptoms. The objective of this cross-sectional study is to examine the trends of hay fever self-reported diagnosis among adults and children in the United States from 2013 to 2018 and its associations with sociodemographic characteristics. Survey data from the National Health Interview (NHIS) were used to identify children and adults with hay fever. Chi-square tests were used to evaluate the group differences by sociodemographic characteristics within each year examined. Trends in self-reported hay fever as well as trends for each sociodemographic characteristic over the study period were charted.ResultsAll sociodemographic characteristics examined in both adults and children showed statistically significant group differences. Females were the highest risk sex group among adults while males were the highest risk sex group among children. Hay fever was more likely to be found among those with two or more races, non-Hispanics, those with higher education level and wealth, and residents from the western United States.ConclusionsThe findings of this study can help identify subpopulations at higher risk of hay fever, which can aid in developing targeted interventions to help individuals experiencing hay fever alleviate their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Association of milk intake with hay fever, asthma, and lung function: a Mendelian randomization analysis.

Previous observational studies have indicated a protective effect of drinking milk on asthma and allergy. In Mendelian Randomization, one or more genetic variants are used as unbiased markers of exposure to examine causal effects. We examined the causal effect of milk intake on hay fever, asthma, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) by using the lactase rs4988235 genotype associated with milk intake. We performed a Mendelian Randomization study including 363,961 participants from the UK Biobank. Observational analyses showed that self-reported milk-drinkers vs. non-milk drinkers had an increased risk of hay fever: odds ratio (OR) = 1.36 (95% CI 1.32, 1.40, p < 0.001), asthma: OR = 1.33 (95% CI 1.38, 1.29, p < 0.001), yet a higher FEV1: β = 0.022 (SE = 0.004, p < 0.001) and FVC: β = 0.026 (SE = 0.005, p < 0.001). In contrast, genetically determined milk-drinking vs. not drinking milk was associated with a lower risk of hay fever: OR = 0.791 (95% CI 0.636, 0.982, p = 0.033), and asthma: OR = 0.587 (95% CI 0.442, 0.779, p = 0.001), and lower FEV1: β = - 0.154 (standard error, SE = 0.034, p < 0.001) liter, and FVC: β = - 0.223 (SE = 0.034, p < 0.001) liter in univariable MR analyses. These results were supported by multivariable Mendelian randomization analyses although not statistically significant. As opposed to observational results, genetic association findings indicate that drinking milk has a protective effect on hay fever and asthma but may also have a negative effect on lung function. The results should be confirmed in other studies before any recommendations can be made.

Associations of Preconception Exposure to Air Pollution and Greenness with Offspring Asthma and Hay Fever.

We investigated if greenness and air pollution exposure in parents’ childhood affect offspring asthma and hay fever, and if effects were mediated through parental asthma, pregnancy greenness/pollution exposure, and offspring exposure. We analysed 1106 parents with 1949 offspring (mean age 35 and 6) from the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) generation study. Mean particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), black carbon (BC), ozone (O3) (µg/m3) and greenness (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)) were calculated for parents 0–18 years old and offspring 0–10 years old, and were categorised in tertiles. We performed logistic regression and mediation analyses for two-pollutant models (clustered by family and centre, stratified by parental lines, and adjusted for grandparental asthma and education). Maternal medium PM2.5 and PM10 exposure was associated with higher offspring asthma risk (odds ratio (OR) 2.23, 95%CI 1.32–3.78, OR 2.27, 95%CI 1.36–3.80), and paternal high BC exposure with lower asthma risk (OR 0.31, 95%CI 0.11–0.87). Hay fever risk increased for offspring of fathers with medium O3 exposure (OR 4.15, 95%CI 1.28–13.50) and mothers with high PM10 exposure (OR 2.66, 95%CI 1.19–5.91). The effect of maternal PM10 exposure on offspring asthma was direct, while for hay fever, it was mediated through exposures in pregnancy and offspring’s own exposures. Paternal O3 exposure had a direct effect on offspring hay fever. To conclude, parental exposure to air pollution appears to influence the risk of asthma and allergies in future offspring.

Transient childhood wheeze is associated with less atopy in adolescence.

The relationships between childhood wheeze phenotypes and subsequent allergic conditions other than asthma, including hay fever, eczema and sensitization, have not been widely reported. We aimed to investigate this relationship up to late adolescence. Using five childhood wheeze phenotypes defined from 620 children in a high-atopy risk birth cohort (Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study), we investigated their relationships with sensitization, eczema, hay fever and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) at ages 12 and/or 18years using logistic and linear regression models. 'Early Persistent wheeze' was associated with the increased risk of eczema (odds ratio: 3.69; 95% CI: 1.23, 11.12) and sensitization (4.52; 1.50, 13.64) at 12years. 'Intermediate Onset wheeze' was associated with the increased risk of eczema at 12years (2.57; 1.11, 5.97), hay fever at 12 (2.87; 1.44, 5.74) and 18years (2.19; 1.20, 4.02), sensitization at 12 (2.25; 1.17, 4.34) and 18years (2.46; 1.18, 5.12), and raised FeNO at 18years. 'Late Onset wheeze' was associated with the increased risk of hay fever at 12 (5.18; 1.11, 24.20) and 18years (4.20; 1.03, 17.11) and sensitization at 12years (3.27; 0.81, 13.27). In contrast, 'Early Transient wheeze' was associated with the reduced risk of eczema (0.44; 0.20, 0.96), hay fever (0.57; 0.33, 0.99) and sensitization (0.59; 0.35, 0.99) at 18years and a lower FeNO compared with 'Never/Infrequent wheezers'. Persistent wheeze phenotypes were associated with allergic outcomes up to 18years with 'Intermediate Onset wheeze' being the most atopic group. In contrast, 'Early Transient wheezers' had less risk of allergic outcomes at 18years. This protective effect may reassure parents of wheezy infants and young children.

Night shift work surrounding pregnancy and offspring risk of atopic disease.

BackgroundNight shift work surrounding pregnancy may contribute to the risk of developing atopic diseases in offspring due to alterations in the prenatal environment, from stress.ObjectiveTo examine the association of maternal night shift work surrounding pregnancy and offspring risk of developing atopic diseases from childhood to adolescence.MethodsWe examined the association between night shift work before and during pregnancy among 4,044 mothers in the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHSII) and atopic dermatitis, asthma and hay fever risk in 4,813 of their offspring enrolled in the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS). Mothers reported whether GUTS participants had ever been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, asthma or hay fever in the GUTS Mothers’ questionnaire. Generalized estimating equation regression models were used to estimate multivariable adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsThere were no significant associations between pre-conception maternal night shift work and risk of atopic dermatitis, asthma or hay fever in their offspring. Among 545 mothers with information on night shift work during pregnancy, shift work also was not associated with atopic dermatitis, asthma or hay fever in the offspring. Stratified analyses by history of parental atopy and maternal chronotype showed some statistically significant findings, but they were inconsistent and no significant interaction was seen with increasing duration of night shift work.ConclusionIn this study, night shift work before and during pregnancy did not increase offspring risk of developing atopic dermatitis, asthma or hay fever.

Modeling hay fever risk factors caused by pollen from Ambrosia spp. using pollen load mapping in Ukraine

The paper provides a simulation of the occurrence of &lt;em&gt;Ambrosia&lt;/em&gt; pollen in Ukraine both in terms of a determination of the regions with high pollen concentrations and the time when the high pollen load occurs. Simulation was performed using the SILAM system and the following pollen mapping using the Grid Analysis and Display System. Simulation results were compared with the aerobiological data available from six monitoring stations in Ukraine. A decrease in the concentrations of &lt;em&gt;Ambrosia&lt;/em&gt; pollen, the duration of the &lt;em&gt;Ambrosia&lt;/em&gt; season, and patient exposure to the &lt;em&gt;Ambrosia&lt;/em&gt; pollen were apparent from SE to NW of Ukraine. A close correlation between the modeled and actually registered pollen concentration values and ragweed pollen release periods was observed in all the cities for which the &lt;em&gt;Ambrosia&lt;/em&gt; pollen monitoring data had been collected. Further investigations are required to provide accurate forecasts for other types of airborne allergens.

More than 40 hay fever risk genes uncovered by international study

More than 40 hay fever risk genes uncovered by international study

Early-life antibiotic exposure increases the risk of developing allergic symptoms later in life: A meta-analysis.

This study systematically reviewed and quantified the relationship between exposure to antibiotics during the first 2years of life and the risk of allergies/atopies including hay fever, eczema, food allergy, positive skin prick testing (SPT), or elevated allergen-specific serum/plasma immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels later in life. PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for observational studies published from January 1966 through November 11, 2015. Overall pooled estimates of the odds ratios (ORs) were obtained using fixed or random-effects models. Early-life exposure to antibiotics appears to be related to an increased risk of allergic symptoms of hay fever, eczema, and food allergy later in life. The summary OR for the risk of hay fever (22 studies) was 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.13-1.34; I2 : 77.0%. The summary OR for the risk of eczema (22 studies) was 1.26, 95% CI: 1.15-1.37; I2 : 74.2%, and the summary OR for food allergy (3 studies) was 1.42, 95% CI: 1.08-1.87; I2 : 80.8%. However, no association was found for antibiotics exposure early in life and objective atopy measurements including positive SPT or elevated allergen-specific serum/plasma IgE levels.

Blood Lead Levels and Learning Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Study of the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities are present among persons diagnosed with learning disabilities (LDs). Previous studies suggest a significant relationship between lead (Pb) exposure and LDs. This study evaluated the potential dose-response relationship between blood Pb levels and the risk of LDs. This cross-sectional study examined 1411 children (32,788,743 weighted-persons) between 6 and 15 years old from the 2003–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) by analyzing demographics, health related-questions, and laboratory tests using survey logistic and frequency modeling in SAS. On a µg Pb/dL basis, a significant dose-dependent relationship between increasing blood Pb levels and increasing risk of LDs was observed (odds ratio (OR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03–1.43). The relationship remained significant when examining covariates such as gender and race (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.00–1.40). By contrast, no dose-dependence was observed between increasing blood Pb levels and the risk of hay fever in the last year (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.56–1.056), a non-plausibly biologically related outcome of blood Pb levels. Persons in the 50th–75th (12.80%) and 75th–100th (17.14%) percentiles of blood Pb were significantly more likely to have LDs than persons in the 0–50th percentile of blood Pb (8.78%). An estimated 1 million persons born in the US from 1989 to 1998 developed LDs from elevated blood Pb levels. Overall, this study revealed a significant dose-dependent association between increasing childhood blood Pb levels and the risk of a LD diagnosis, but it was not possible to ascribe a direct cause-effect relationship between blood Pb exposure and LD diagnosis. Childhood Pb exposure should be considered when evaluating children with LDs, and continuing efforts should be made to reduce Pb exposure.

Vaccinations in the first year of life and risk of atopic disease - Results from the KiGGS study.

The study focused on the question of whether and - if so - to what direction and extent immunisations in the 1st year may be associated with the risk of being diagnosed with atopic diseases after the 1st year of life. Data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS, 2003-2006) were analysed. For analyses of potential associations between vaccination status and risk of hay fever, atopic dermatitis or asthma, sample sizes of 15254, 14297, and 15262, respectively, were available. Children with a sufficient TDPHiHeP vaccination at the end of the 1st year of life had a lower risk of being diagnosed with hay fever after the 1st year of life (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.76-0.96). Analyses for associations between TDPHiHeP vaccination and risk of atopic dermatitis or asthma, or between age at onset of vaccination or of the number of antigens vaccinated in the 1st year of life and risk of atopic disease failed to yield statistical significance. Our results provide no evidence that immunisations in the 1st year of life may increase the risk of atopic disease. If any association exists at all, our results may be interpreted as weakly supportive of the hypothesis that immunisations may slightly decrease the risk of atopy in later life.

Relationship between Hay Fever and Mineral Concentration in the Hair, Lifestyle or Aging.

It is important to ingest just proportions of minerals to prevent disease, but these minerals are also secreted into the hair. Meanwhile, the number of hay fever patients in Japan is increasing, causing an increase in national medical expenses. In this study, we investigated the relationship between hay fever and mineral concentrations in hair to obtain findings on the risk of developing pollen allergies. A questionnaire survey was conducted for 275 men and 977 women on their lifestyle habits and ten kinds of mineral concentrations present in their hair were measured with subsequent analysis using nominal logistic regression analysis. The results indicated that half the patients in each age group had hay fever, with no significant difference between hay fever and aging, exercise habits, sleep and dietary rhythms. On the other hand, there was a significant difference between hay fever and mineral concentrations in the hair, and in men with hay fever, iron (odds ratio: 0.55, p<0.05) was low, while in women calcium (odds ratio: 0.67, p<0.05), chromium (odds ratio: 0.46, p<0.001), cadmium (odds ratio: 0.68, p<0.01) were low and selenium (odds ratio: 1.78, p<0.01) was high. These results, suggest that measurements mineral concentrations in hair are indicators of hay fever risk.

Investigating the causal effect of smoking on hay fever and asthma: a Mendelian randomization meta-analysis in the CARTA consortium

Observational studies on smoking and risk of hay fever and asthma have shown inconsistent results. However, observational studies may be biased by confounding and reverse causation. Mendelian randomization uses genetic variants as markers of exposures to examine causal effects. We examined the causal effect of smoking on hay fever and asthma by using the smoking-associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs16969968/rs1051730. We included 231,020 participants from 22 population-based studies. Observational analyses showed that current vs never smokers had lower risk of hay fever (odds ratio (OR) = 0·68, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0·61, 0·76; P < 0·001) and allergic sensitization (OR = 0·74, 95% CI: 0·64, 0·86; P < 0·001), but similar asthma risk (OR = 1·00, 95% CI: 0·91, 1·09; P = 0·967). Mendelian randomization analyses in current smokers showed a slightly lower risk of hay fever (OR = 0·958, 95% CI: 0·920, 0·998; P = 0·041), a lower risk of allergic sensitization (OR = 0·92, 95% CI: 0·84, 1·02; P = 0·117), but higher risk of asthma (OR = 1·06, 95% CI: 1·01, 1·11; P = 0·020) per smoking-increasing allele. Our results suggest that smoking may be causally related to a higher risk of asthma and a slightly lower risk of hay fever. However, the adverse events associated with smoking limit its clinical significance.

Age at onset and persistence of eczema are related to subsequent risk of asthma and hay fever from birth to 18years of age.

Few studies have simultaneously addressed the importance of age of onset and persistence of eczema for the subsequent development of asthma and hay fever, particularly into early adulthood. A high-risk birth cohort was recruited comprising 620 infants, who were then followed up frequently until 2years of age, annually from age 3 to 7, then at 12 and 18years, to document any episodes of eczema, current asthma, and hay fever. The generalized estimation equationtechnique was used to examine asthma and hay fever outcomes at 6 (n=325), 12 (n=248) and 18 (n=240) years, when there was consistency of associations across the follow-ups. Very early-onset persistent (onset <6months, still present from 2 to 5years) eczema was related to current asthma (adjusted OR=3.2 [95% CI=1.7-6.1]), as was very early-onset remitting eczema (onset <6months but not present from 2-5years, OR=2.7, 95% CI=1.0-7.2) and early-onset persistent eczema (onset from 6-24months, OR=2.3, 95% CI=1.2-4.7). Late-onset eczema (commenced from 2-5years) was associated with increased risk of asthma at 12years (OR=3.0, 95% CI=1.1-8.2) but not at age 6years. Only very early-onset persistent eczema was associated with increased risk of hay fever (aOR=2.4, 95% CI=1.4-4.1). Eczema which commences in early infancy and persists into toddler years is strongly associated with asthma, and to a lesser extent hay fever, in high-risk children. If these associations are causal, prevention of early-life eczema might reduce the risk of respiratory allergy.

Breastfeeding and timing of first dietary introduction in relation to childhood asthma, allergies, and airway diseases: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACTObjectives: We investigated associations of breastfeeding (BF) durations and patterns and of timing of other dietary introductions with prevalence of asthma, wheeze, hay fever, rhinitis, pneumonia, and eczema among preschool children. Methods: During April 2011-April 2012, we conducted a cross-sectional study in 72 kindergartens from five districts of Shanghai, China and obtained 13,335 questionnaires of children 4–6-years-old. We used multiple logistic regression models to evaluate the target associations. Results: Compared to children who were never BF, children who were exclusively breastfed 3–6 months had the lowest risk of asthma (adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval: 0.81, 0.72–0.91) and wheeze (0.93, 0.87–0.99); and exclusive BF >6 months was significantly associated with a reduced risk of hay fever (0.93, 0.89–0.97), rhinitis (0.97, 0.94–0.99), pneumonia (0.97, 0.94–0.99), and eczema (0.96, 0.93–0.99). No significant associations were found between time when fruits or vegetables were introduced and the studied diseases. Associations were independent of the child's sex and parent's ownership of the current residence. Longer duration BF was only significantly protective when there was no family history of atopy. Conclusions: This study suggests that heredity, but not sex and socioeconomic status, may negatively impact the effect of BF on childhood airway and allergic diseases. Our findings support China's national recommendation that mothers provide exclusive BF for the first four months, and continue partial BF for more than 6 months.

IL-33 polymorphisms are associated with increased risk of hay fever and reduced regulatory T cells in a birth cohort.

IL-33 polymorphisms influence the susceptibility to asthma. IL-33 indirectly induces Th2-immune responses via dendritic cell activation, being important for development of atopic diseases. Furthermore, IL-33 upregulates regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are critical for healthy immune homeostasis. This study investigates associations between IL-33 polymorphisms during the development of childhood atopic diseases and underlying mechanisms including immune regulation of Tregs. Genotyping of IL-33-polymorphisms (rs928413, rs1342326) was performed by MALDI-TOF-MS in 880 of 1133 PASTURE/EFRAIM children. In 4.5-year-old German PASTURE/EFRAIM children (n = 99), CD4+ CD25high FOXP3+ Tregs were assessed by flow cytometry following 24-h incubation of PBMCs with PMA/ionomycin, LPS or without stimuli (U). SOCS3, IL1RL1, TLR4 mRNA expression and sST2 protein levels ex vivo were measured in PASTURE/EFRAIM children by real-time PCR or ELISA, respectively. Health outcomes (hay fever, asthma) were assessed by questionnaires at the age of 6 years. rs928413 and rs1342326 were positively associated with hay fever (OR = 1.77, 95%CI = 1.02-3.08; OR = 1.79, 95%CI = 1.04-3.11) and CD4+ CD25high FOXP3+ Tregs (%) decreased in minor allele homozygotes/heterozygotes compared to major allele homozygotes (p(U) = 0.004; p(LPS) = 0.005; p(U) = 0.001; p(LPS) = 0.012). SOCS3 mRNA expression increased in minor allele homozygotes and heterozygotes compared with major allele homozygotes for both IL-33-polymorphisms (p(rs928413) = 0.032, p(rs1342326) = 0.019) and negatively correlated to Tregs. IL-33-polymorphisms rs928413 and rs1342326 may account for an increased risk of hay fever with the age of 6 years. Lower Tregs and increased SOCS3 in combined heterozygotes and minor allele homozygotes may be relevant for hay fever development, pointing towards dysbalanced immune regulation and insufficient control of allergic inflammation.

Prevalence and determinants of atopy and allergic diseases among school-age children in rural Saskatchewan, Canada

BackgroundThere have been few investigations of farming-related activities or specific characteristics resulting in the associations between those exposures and atopic disease. ObjectiveTo study the associations between farm-associated exposures and atopic diseases. MethodsAs part of a longitudinal study of lung health in rural residents, a cross-sectional baseline study was conducted in rural Saskatchewan, Canada. This included an initial survey phase followed by a clinical testing phase. A subsample of 584 children (grades 1–8) completed skin prick testing to assess atopic status. Atopy was defined as a positive reaction to any of 6 allergens (local grasses, wheat dust, cat dander, house dust mite, Alternaria species, or Cladosporium species) of at least 3 mm compared with the negative control. ResultsOf those who completed clinical testing, the prevalence of atopy was 19.4%, that of hay fever was 8.8%, and that of eczema was 27.4%. Based on skin prick testing, sensitization was highest for cat dander (8.6%) followed by local grasses (8.2%) and house dust mite (5.1%). After adjustment for potential confounders, home location (farm vs non-farm) was not associated with atopic status. However, livestock farming was protective against atopy (adjusted odds ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.17–0.88). In contrast, current residence on a farm was associated with an increase in the likelihood of hay fever in these children (adjusted odds ratio 3.68, 95% confidence interval 1.29–10.45). Also, regular farming activities in the past year were associated with an increased risk of hay fever. ConclusionIn children, livestock exposure has a protective effect on skin prick test positivity, whereas farm living and activities increase the risk of hay fever.

Genome-wide association analysis identifies 11 risk variants associated with the asthma with hay fever phenotype

To date, no genome-wide association study (GWAS) has considered the combined phenotype of asthma with hay fever. Previous analyses of family data from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study provide evidence that this phenotype has a stronger genetic cause than asthma without hay fever. We sought to perform a GWAS of asthma with hay fever to identify variants associated with having both diseases. We performed a meta-analysis of GWASs comparing persons with both physician-diagnosed asthma and hay fever (n = 6,685) with persons with neither disease (n = 14,091). At genome-wide significance, we identified 11 independent variants associated with the risk of having asthma with hay fever, including 2 associations reaching this level of significance with allergic disease for the first time: ZBTB10 (rs7009110; odds ratio [OR], 1.14; P = 4 × 10(-9)) and CLEC16A (rs62026376; OR, 1.17; P = 1 × 10(-8)). The rs62026376:C allele associated with increased asthma with hay fever risk has been found to be associated also with decreased expression of the nearby DEXI gene in monocytes. The 11 variants were associated with the risk of asthma and hay fever separately, but the estimated associations with the individual phenotypes were weaker than with the combined asthma with hay fever phenotype. A variant near LRRC32 was a stronger risk factor for hay fever than for asthma, whereas the reverse was observed for variants in/near GSDMA and TSLP. Single nucleotide polymorphisms with suggestive evidence for association with asthma with hay fever risk included rs41295115 near IL2RA (OR, 1.28; P = 5 × 10(-7)) and rs76043829 in TNS1 (OR, 1.23; P = 2 × 10(-6)). By focusing on the combined phenotype of asthma with hay fever, variants associated with the risk of allergic disease can be identified with greater efficiency.