摘要
Objective To examine whether the season of birth or season of the early phase of gestation is associated with sensitisation to food allergens in children, with special reference to mothers%26apos; pollen exposure in spring. %26lt;br%26gt;Design A population-based cohort study linking information from a questionnaire survey to allergy tests performed on the target population and regional pollen counts. %26lt;br%26gt;Population Children born in 2001-6 who were resident in the province of South Karelia, Finland, at the time of the survey (N=5920). Main Outcome Measures A positive result in any food allergy test or food-specific immunoglobulin E test (sIgE). %26lt;br%26gt;Results The cumulative incidence of a positive food allergy test up to the age of 4 years was highest among children born in October-November (10%) and lowest among those born in June-July (5%), and correspondingly highest among children who were in their 11th gestational week in April-May (11%), the season of high concentrations of birch and alder pollen, and lowest among those reaching that stage in December-January (6%). The amplitude of seasonal variation in any test, estimated as the relative ratio between the peak and trough of the smoothed incidence curve over the year, was 2.03 (95% CI 1.52 to 2.76). The amplitudes of positive sIgE were especially pronounced for milk (3.07; 95% CI 1.81 to 5.50) and egg (3.03; 95% CI 1.86 to 5.18). %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusions Children having their early gestational period in the pollen season for broad-leafed trees are more prone to sensitisation to food allergens than other children.
- 出版日期2012-1