Dependence of immediate hypersensitivity on the month of birth

Björkstén, Fred; Suoniemi, Ilpo

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1976.tb01894.x

Cited by 74 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…A comparison with total live births each month showed that the different distribution of month of birth of the mite sensitive children was a genuine one, and not due to general trends in month of birth. Other studies have demonstrated some inconclusive differences of birth season in patients with mite sensitivity in a small prospective study (Soothill el al., 1976); seasonal or perennial symptoms (Pearson et al, 1977); and skin test reactions to mixed allergen preparations (Bjorksten and Suoniemi, 1976). This study is the first to show clear differences in month of birth in asthmatic children with an accurately identified allergy to D. pteronyssinus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 67%

House dust mite sensitivity in childhood asthma.

Warner¹,

Price²

1978

Archives of Disease in Childhood

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SUMMARY The clinical features of perennial asthmatic children with a skin or bronchial reaction to the house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) were compared with those of asthmatic children without mite sensitivity. Mite sensitive asthma was characterised by an early age of onset of symptoms, these being predominantly nocturnal. A history of wheezing precipitated by dust exposure, during vacuuming, bedmaking, or dusting was present in 52% of cases. Asthmatic children with mite sensitivity were more likely to have been born at the time of the year when mite counts were highest. This was consistent with the idea that allergy may be associated with a period of susceptibility to sensitisation in early infancy.Asthma precipitated by exposure to dust has been recognised for three centuries (Van Helmont, 1662), but the link between house dust and house mite allergy in asthmatic patients was not described until 1964 (Voorhorst et al.). Skin tests (MorrowBrown and Filer, 1968), bronchial provocation tests (Aas, 1970), in vitro tests measuring IgE antibodies (Stenius and Wide, 1969), and histamine release from leucocytes (McAllen et al., 1970) have clearly indicated that the mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, is one of the commonest allergens in Europe to which asthmatic patients are sensitised.Sensitivity to D. pteronyssinus is common in childhood asthma (Sarsfield, 1974) but little has been published on the characteristics of such an allergy. The clinical importance of any one allergy in an asthmatic child with multiple allergen sensitivities can ultimately only be determined by history. There is an impression of an association between nocturnal asthma occurring throughout the year and house mite sensitivity, but this has not been established. Therefore, we have compared aspects of the clinical history of asthmatic children with and without a skin or bronchial reaction to D. pteronyssinus. Patients and methodsEighty-five children (62 boys and 23 girls) with moderate to severe perennial asthma, aged between 5 (the minimum for performing bronchial provocation tests adequately) and 14 years were studied. Received 9 February 1978 Bronchial asthma was diagnosed by clinical and laboratory evidence of intermittent airways obstruction, reversible to a degree by bronchodilators. All the children had at least 6 moderately severe attacks of wheezing each year and their asthma was not satisfactorily controlled on bronchodilators alone.The children were admitted to hospital for at least 48 hours. A full clinical history and examination was recorded on a standard questionnaire. Each had prick skin tests on the forearms to 10 allergens and a control solution. The reactions were measured after 20 minutes using a gauge, and weals of 2 mm diameter or greater were recorded as positive. The children had a bronchial provocation test to soluble extracts of D. pteronyssinus, using the method described by Warner (1976).The medical notes of a further 163 unselected asthmatic children were studied to abstract information on skin t...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 67%

House dust mite sensitivity in childhood asthma.

Warner¹,

Price²

1978

Archives of Disease in Childhood

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“…This possibility is supported by a very recent observation that the IgG antibody levels to the major birch antigen Bet v1 in cord blood tended to be lower in babies who were born to atopic mothers outside the pollen season (MC Jenmalm et al , unpublished data). The seasonality of pollen sensitisation seems to be more evident in countries with a cold climate 25. Possibly, seasonal differences are not observed in countries where the major allergens are perennial.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Season of birth as predictor of atopic manifestations

Nilsson

Björkstén²,

Hattevig³

et al. 1997

Archives of Disease in Childhood

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The relation between month of birth, sensitisation, and manifestations of atopy was assessed in 209 children who were followed from birth to 12-15 years. Children born during the tree pollen season were less likely to develop allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, IgE antibodies to pollen, or a positive screening test for IgE antibodies (odds ratio 0.28, 0.41, 0.35, respectively) than children born during the rest of the year.

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“…Accordingly, it is important to determine in the relevant high-risk (HR) groups, the time frame over which priming against such allergens most frequently occurs. In this regard, a variety of data links risk for sensitization to seasonal allergens to birth in spring, [1][2][3][4] and this has been widely interpreted as evidence for active priming of the immune system in early postnatal life. However, it has also been shown that priming to some perennial and/or food allergens displays a similar season-dependent pattern, 5 which suggests that other more complex mechanisms may underlie this association.…”

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confidence: 99%