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Childhood eczema and rhinitis predict atopic but not nonatopic adult asthma: A prospective cohort study over 4 decades

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 07:49 authored by Martin, PE, Matheson, MC, Gurrin, L, Burgess, JA, Osborne, N, Lowe, AJ, Morrison, S, Meszaros, D, Giles, GG, Abramson, MJ, Eugene WaltersEugene Walters, Allen, KJ, Dharmage, SC
Background: The evidence on whether the atopic march observed in childhood (ie, the progression from eczema to allergic rhinitis and asthma) extends to adulthood is sparse, and there is no evidence on whether the progression leads to a specific phenotype of asthma. Objective: We sought to assess whether childhood eczema and rhinitis are risk factors for specific phenotypes of adult asthma. Methods: Participants of the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study recruited in 1968 (age range, 6.0-7.0 years) were followed up at age 44 years. The risk of current atopic or nonatopic asthma in middle age characterized by sensitization to aeroallergens given childhood eczema, rhinitis, or both was calculated by using multinomial logistic regression. Results: No association was found between childhood eczema or rhinitis and nonatopic adult asthma. In contrast, childhood eczema and rhinitis in combination predicted both new-onset atopic asthma by middle age (adjusted multinomial odds ratio [aMOR], 6.3; 95% CI, 1.7-23.2) and the persistence of childhood asthma to adult atopic asthma (aMOR, 11.7; 95% CI, 3.6-37.9). Participants with childhood eczema alone were at increased risk of new-onset atopic asthma (aMOR, 4.1; 95% CI, 1.9-8.8), whereas rhinitis alone predicted the persistence of childhood asthma to atopic asthma (aMOR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.3-5.6). Of all asthma, 29.7% of persistent atopic asthma and 18.1% of newonset atopic asthma could be attributed to having childhood eczema and rhinitis. Conclusion: Childhood eczema and rhinitis are strongly associated with the incidence and persistence of adult atopic asthma.

History

Publication title

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Volume

127

Issue

6

Pagination

1473-1479

ISSN

0091-6749

Department/School

Menzies Institute for Medical Research

Publisher

Mosby

Place of publication

Inc, 11830 Westline Industrial Dr, St Louis, USA, Mo, 63146-3318

Rights statement

Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology The definitive version is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Clinical health not elsewhere classified

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