ERJ
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Published online before print January 10, 2007
Eur Respir J 2007, doi:10.1183/09031936.00065706
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (Rapid PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
29/3/516    most recent
09031936.00065706v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Permissions
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by van Beijsterveldt, C.E.M.
Right arrow Articles by Boomsma, D.I.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by van Beijsterveldt, C.E.M.
Right arrow Articles by Boomsma, D.I.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Genetics of parental-reported asthma, eczema, and rhinitis in 5-year-old Dutch twins

C.E.M. van Beijsterveldt 1* D.I. Boomsma 1

1 Dept of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: toos{at}psy.vu.nl.


  Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the genetic and environmental contributions to the individual differences in susceptibility to asthma, eczema, and rhinitis in childhood and their role in the association among these conditions.

Information on asthma, eczema, and rhinitis was obtained by parental-report. Parents were asked whether a physician ever diagnosed the condition. Complete data were available for 8633 5-year-old twin pairs born between 1986 and 1998.

The frequency of parental-reported asthma, eczema, and rhinitis was 8.7%, 16.8% and 4.4%, respectively, and was higher in boys than girls. Genetic factors accounted for about 90% of the variance in the susceptibility to asthma, eczema, and rhinitis. The magnitude of genetic factors did not differ between boys and girls. The remaining part of the variance was explained by environmental factors not shared by family members. The phenotypic correlations between parental-reported asthma, eczema, and rhinitis were moderate and mainly mediated by the same genetic factors.

The high heritability and the limited influence of shared environmental factors may point to gene x environment interactions. Future research should focus on this type of interaction processes.

Keywords:  Asthma, childhood, eczema, heritability, rhinitis, twins




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Ann Fam MedHome page
M. G. P. Zuidgeest, L. van Dijk, P. Spreeuwenberg, H. A. Smit, B. Brunekreef, H. G. M. Arets, M. Bracke, and H. G. M. Leufkens
What Drives Prescribing of Asthma Medication to Children? A Multilevel Population-Based Study
Ann. Fam. Med, January 1, 2009; 7(1): 32 - 40.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
P. W. Newacheck, S. E. Kim, S. J. Blumberg, and J. P. Rising
Who is at Risk for Special Health Care Needs: Findings From the National Survey of Children's Health
Pediatrics, August 1, 2008; 122(2): 347 - 359.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Copyright © 2007 by the European Respiratory Society.