| LISA and GINI | PIAMA | p-value | |
| Subjects n | 358 | 332 | |
| Cohort type | |||
| LISA | 138 (39) | ||
| GINI | 220 (61) | ||
| Males | 204/358 (57) | 186/332 (56) | 0.859 |
| Parental allergy# | 294/358 (82) | 260/332 (78) | 0.246 |
| Parental education¶ | |||
| High | 198/358 (55) | 193/332 (56) | 0.502 |
| Medium | 106/358 (30) | 110/332 (33) | 0.360 |
| Low | 54/358 (15) | 29/332 (9) | 0.014 |
| Visible mould in any room at 6 yrs of age | 56/323 (17) | 108/329 (33) | <0.001 |
| Dwelling considered damp at 6 yrs of age | 10/339 (3) | NA | NA |
| Any pets in child’s home at 6 yrs of age | 86/345 (25) | 133/326 (41) | <0.001 |
| Day-care attendance | |||
| 1st year | 5/318 (1) | 83/330 (25) | <0.001 |
| 2nd year | 29/306 (8) | 85/323 (26) | <0.001 |
| 3rd year | 68/319 (19) | 133/326 (41) | <0.001 |
| 4th year | 257/324 (72) | 244/324 (75) | 0.260 |
| Breastfeeding+ | 179/333 (54) | 201/328 (61) | 0.060 |
| Smoking in child’s home at 6 yrs of age | 72/344 (21) | 89/331 (27) | 0.084 |
| Maternal smoking during pregnancy | 50/357 (14) | 45/328 (14) | 0.985 |
| Moving home§ at 6 yrs of age | 39/346 (11) | 13/330 (4) | <0.001 |
| Physician-diagnosed asthmaƒ | 17/343 (5) | 27/328 (8) | 0.119 |
| Physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitisƒ,## | 47/342 (14) | 24/327 (7) | 0.010 |
| Allergic respiratory symptomsƒ | |||
| Rhinoconjunctivitis | 48/343 (14) | 28/327 (7) | 0.036 |
| Wheezing | 43/341 (13) | 48/331 (15) | 0.546 |
| Dry cough¶¶ | 56/343 (16) | 80/330 (24) | 0.014 |
| Physician-diagnosed infections of the upper airwaysƒ | 275/342 (80) | 47/329 (14) | <0.001 |
| Dust sampling season++ | |||
| Autumn | 48/358 (13) | 101/332 (30) | <0.001 |
| Winter | 57/358 (16) | 113/332 (34) | <0.001 |
| Spring | 253/358 (71) | 118/332 (36) | <0.001 |
Data are presented as n, n (%) or n/N (%), unless otherwise stated. Bold indicates statistically significant p-values. LISA: Lifestyle Related Factors on the Immune System and the Development of Allergies in Childhood; GINI: German Infant Nutritional Intervention; PIAMA: Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy; NA: not available. #: defined as asthma and/or hay fever and/or eczema (at least one parent) for LISA and GINI and as asthma and/or allergy to house dust (mite) or pets, and/or hay fever in at least one parent for PIAMA; ¶: categorised according to the German educational system as less than, equal to and more than grade 10 for low, medium and high, respectively, for LISA and GINI and as the highest attained educational level of mother and father, where low is primary school, lower vocational or lower secondary education, medium is intermediate vocational education or intermediate/ higher secondary education, and high is higher vocational education and university for PIAMA; +: defined as exclusive breastfeeding during the first 4 months of life for LISA and GINI and as any breastfeeding at the age of 3 months for PIAMA; §: defined as moving home in the previous 24 months for GINI, and as moving home in the previous 12 months for LISA and PIAMA; ƒ: in the previous 12 months; ##: defined as hayfever and/or allergic rhinitis (all seasons) for LISA and GINI, and as hayfever ever for PIAMA; ¶¶: defined as nocturnal dry cough for PIAMA; ++: autumn defined as October–November, winter as December–February and spring as March–April.