Non-communicable diseases, such as allergies, are influenced by both genetic and epigenetic factors. Perinatal determinants conceivably modify the epigenetic makeup of the developing fetal immune system preventing or predisposing the development of allergies. The aim of this study therefore was to identify independent perinatal factors associated with allergic sensitization in childhood. In a single center retrospective case-cohort study electronic obstetric medical records and available skin prick testing results of children were analyzed. For the analysis 286 skin prick test positive (sensitized) children [median (IQR): 3.47 (1.70–7.34) years] were compared with data from all remaining live births in the obstetric cohort (n = 66,583). Sensitized children more frequently had a mother born in Asia (19.1% vs. 10.2%; P < 10–6). Applying backward elimination logistic regression, seven out of 23 initially entered perinatal factors remained in the model. High maternal age (> 35 years; OR: 1.912; P < 0.001), male offspring sex (OR: 1.423; P < 0.01) and assisted conception (OR: 1.771; P < 0.05) increased the risk for allergic sensitization. In contrast, maternal smoking (OR: 0.469; P < 0.005), increasing parity (OR: 0.881; P < 0.05), maternal pre-pregnancy overweight (OR: 0.742; P < 0.005) and preterm birth (OR: 0.484; P < 0.05) decreased the risk for allergic sensitization. In addition to supporting previous findings, this study is first to report an increased risk of allergic sensitization after assisted conception. Beyond this finding’s potential implementation in preventative strategies, exploration of this association could further pathophysiological understanding of allergic disease.

中文翻译：

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儿童过敏性致敏的母体和围产期决定因素分析。

非传染性疾病，如过敏，受遗传和表观遗传因素的影响。可以想象，围产期决定因素会改变发育中的胎儿免疫系统的表观遗传构成，从而防止或诱发过敏症的发展。因此，本研究的目的是确定与儿童过敏致敏相关的独立围产期因素。在一项单中心回顾性病例队列研究中，对电子产科病历和可用的儿童皮肤点刺测试结果进行了分析。为进行分析，将 286 名皮肤点刺试验阳性（致敏）儿童 [中位数 (IQR)：3.47 (1.70–7.34) 岁] 与产科队列中所有剩余活产的数据（n = 66,583）进行了比较。敏感儿童的母亲出生在亚洲的频率更高（19.1% 对 10.2%；P < 10-6）。应用反向消除逻辑回归，23 个最初输入的围产期因素中有 7 个保留在模型中。高产妇年龄（> 35 岁；OR：1.912；P < 0.001）、男性后代性别（OR：1.423；P < 0.01）和辅助受孕（OR：1.771；P < 0.05）增加了过敏致敏的风险。相比之下，母亲吸烟（OR：0.469；P < 0.005）、胎次增加（OR：0.881；P < 0.05）、孕前超重（OR：0.742；P < 0.005）和早产（OR：0.484；P < 0.05) 降低过敏致敏的风险。除了支持先前的研究结果外，这项研究还首次报告了辅助受孕后过敏致敏风险的增加。除了这一发现在预防策略中的潜在实施之外，