Prevalence of infant sneezing without colds and prediction of childhood allergy diseases in a prospective cohort study

Abstract

BackgroundAllergy sensitization may begin during the perinatal period, but predicting allergic diseases in infancy remains difficult. This study attempted to identify early predictors of childhood allergy diseases in a prospective cohort study.Materials and MethodsIn a prospective birth cohort study at southern Taiwan locating in a subtropical region, questionnaire surveys of sneezing or cough without colds at 6 and 18 months of age were recorded, and the correlation with allergy diseases was assessed at 3 and 6 years of age.ResultsA total of 1812 pregnant women and 1848 newborn infants were prenatally enrolled, and 1543, 1344, 1236, and 756 children completed the follow-up at ages 6 months, 18 months, 3 years and 6 years, respectively. The prevalence of infant sneezing without colds at 6 and 18 months of age was 30.3% and 19.2%, respectively. The prevalence of infant cough without colds at 6 and 18 months of age was 10.6% and 5.7%, respectively. Infant sneezing without colds at 18 months of age was significantly correlated with atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and asthma at 6 years of age. Infant cough without colds at 18 months of age significantly predicted asthma but not atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis at 6 years of age.ConclusionsInfant sneezing without colds predicted all allergy diseases at 6 years of age in a subtropical country. This highlights a potential non-invasive clue in a subtropical region for the early prediction, treatment and prevention of childhood allergy diseases in infancy.

Association between neutrophil recruitment and lung inflammation in type I hypersensitivity reaction

“…The development of hypersensitivity diseases are indeed associated with various risk factors. These risk factors can be genetic or environmental factors (4)(5)(6)(7). Presented antigens by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) can be recognized by T-cells that lead to the exaggerated production of IgE.…”