Incidence and risk factors for food hypersensitivity in UK infants: results from a birth cohort study

Abstract

There is also great interest in its potential risk factors due to its association with the development of other conditions [8, 9]. Since geographical issues are also important in the development of food hypersensitivity, not all previously identified risk factors may be associated with food hypersensitivity development in a UK cohort in infants. [ Table Omitted - see PDF ] Table 1 Demographic, socioeconomic and familial factors of the study participants All participants Lost to follow up (2 years) Eligible for DBPCFC Not challenged Challenged Confirmed food hypersensitivity n 1140 317 15 55 41 Baseline characteristics Caucasian ethnicity 1093 (95.8 %) 304 (96.0 %) 11 (73.3 %) 50 (90.9 %) 39 (95.1 %) Smoking during pregnancy 70 (6.1 %) 45 (14.2 %) 0 (0.0 %) 1 (1.8 %) 1 (2.4 %) Mothers' mean age, years 31.9 (5.2) 30.0 (5.8) 31.9 (5.2) 32.0 (5.5) 31.6 (5.3) Fathers' mean age, years 34.1 (5.7) 32.6 (6.4) 33.9 (5.1) 33.9 (4.5) 33.2 (4.6) Highest education of parents Low (up to 12y) 220 (19.3 %) 86 (27.2 %) 4 (26.7 %) 9 (16.4 %) 7 (17.1 %) Intermediate (>12 years, e.g. college) 331 (29.0 %) 96 (30.2 %) 3 (20.0 %) 19 (34.5 %) 13 (31.7 %) High (e.g. university) 565 (49.6 %) 121 (38.3 %) 8 (53.3 %) 27 (49.1 %) 21 (51.2 %) Allergies in family Maternal atopy (A, AR or E) 765 (67.1 %) 210 (66.4 %) 13 (86.7 %) 48 (87.3 %) 36 (87.8 %) Paternal atopy (A, AR or E) 610 (53.5 %) 170 (53.7 %) 11 (73.3 %) 30 (54.5 %) 23 (56.1 %) Maternal food hypersensitivity 249 (21.8 %) 77 (24.4 %) 6 (40.0 %) 13 (23.6 %) 11 (26.8 %) Paternal food hypersensitivity 135 (11.8 %) 35 (11.1 %) 1 (6.7 %) 7 (12.7 %) 6 (14.6 %) Urban living environment 273 (23.9 %) 99 (31.2 %) 6 (40.0 %) 11 (20.0 %) 8 (19.5 %) Mean number of sibs at home 1.7 (0.88) 1.8 (0.99) 1.4 (0.65) 1.6 (0.71) 1.5 (0.64) Female sex 557 (48.9 %) 166 (52.4 %) 6 (40.0 %) 23 (41.8 %) 17 (41.5 %) Animals in household at birth Any 566 (49.6 %) 164 (50.6 %) 8 (53.3 %) 33 (60.0 %) 26 (63.4 %) Cat 325 (28.5 %) 92 (28.4 %) 4 (26.6 %) 15 (27.3 %) 10 (24.4 %) Dog 204 (17.9 %) 66 (20.4 %) 3 (20.0 %) 15 (27.3 %) 13 (31.7 %) Season of birth (n = 1139) Summer 379 (33.3) 112 (34.6 %) 2 (13.3 %) 21 (38.2 %) 17 (41.5 %) Autumn 251 (22.0) 66 (20.4 %) 7 (46.6 %) 13 (23.6 %) 8 (19.5 %) Winter 183 (16.1) 51 (15.7) 2 (13.3 %) 9 (16.4 %) 8 (19.5 %) Spring 326 (28.6) 95 (29.3 %) 4 (26.6 %) 11 (20.0 %) 8 (19.5 %) Figures represent numbers (%) or mean (SD) A asthma, AR allergic rhinitis, E eczema [ Table Omitted - see PDF ] Table 2 Characteristics of participants with food hypersensitivity and their controls at initial assessment Participants with food hypersensitivity (n = 41) Control participants (n = 82) p value Median (IQR) age of child, months 9.3 (5.7-17.0) 14.9 (10.1-20.2) 0.024 Diagnostic criteria: positive DBPCFC 41 (100 %) History of anaphylaxis 0 (0 %) Presenting symptoms Gastrointestinal 11 (26.8 %) Cutaneous (eczema and/or urticaria) 22 (46.3 %) Respiratory 4 (9.7 %) Other 3 (7.\n CM was involved in the conception and design of the original study protocol, revised the manuscript for important intellectual content and approved the final manuscript as submitted.