Aero-Allergen Sensitization in the General Population: Longitudinal Analyses of the LEAD (Lung Heart Social Body) Study

Franziska Kölli; Marie-Kathrin Breyer; Sylvia Hartl; Otto Burghuber; Emiel F M Wouters; Torben Sigsgaard; Wolfgang Pohl; Gabriele Kohlböck; Robab Breyer-Kohansal

doi:10.2147/JAA.S349614

Aero-Allergen Sensitization in the General Population: Longitudinal Analyses of the LEAD (Lung Heart Social Body) Study

J Asthma Allergy. 2022 Apr 11:15:461-473. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S349614. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Franziska Kölli^{1

2}, Marie-Kathrin Breyer^{2

3}, Sylvia Hartl^{1

2

3}, Otto Burghuber^{1

2}, Emiel F M Wouters^{2

4}, Torben Sigsgaard⁵, Wolfgang Pohl⁶, Gabriele Kohlböck², Robab Breyer-Kohansal^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Sigmund Freud University, Faculty of Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
² Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Health, Vienna, Austria.
³ Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Clinic Penzing, Vienna, Austria.
⁴ NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Public Health, Section of Environment, Occupation & Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
⁶ Karl Landsteiner Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pneumology, Clinic Hietzing, Vienna, Austria.

Abstract

Background: Monitoring of sensitization may become a non-invasive marker of impaired epithelial barrier function related to changing environmental conditions.

Objective: To longitudinally evaluate the prevalence and associated factors for positive skin prick tests (SPT) in a general population cohort.

Methods: Baseline and 4-year follow-up data from the longitudinal LEAD study are used for the current analyses. Risk factors for SPT were analyzed by multivariate binary logistic regression analyses, including residence (urban/rural), sex, socioeconomic status (SES), allergic and/or respiratory diseases, lung function testing, blood eosinophils, body composition, lifestyle habits, family history, pets in household, and exposure to tobacco smoke in childhood/adolescence (6-18 years) and adulthood (≥19 years).

Results: In total, 1439 children/adolescents and 9844 adults with valid SPTs were included in these analyses. The prevalence of sensitization at baseline was 37.6% and was higher in males in every age group, except 10-<15 years. Individuals with doctor´s diagnosed allergy, asthma or parental allergy were more likely to have a positive SPT; in adulthood, sensitization was more common in those with a high SES. A lower occurrence of sensitization was associated with the presence of a dog in the household in childhood/adolescence and with smoking in adulthood. The prevalence and intensity (number of positive SPT reactions) increased after a 4-year follow-up, especially in children/adolescents.

Conclusion: Sensitization is common in the general Austrian population and more likely in males than females. Longitudinal monitoring of sensitization in children/adolescents may identify environmental triggers related to changes in urbanization, industrialization and domestic lifestyle. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01727518.

Keywords: adults; aero-allergens; allergy; childhood/adolescence; sensitization.

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT01727518

Grants and funding

The Austrian LEAD Study is supported by the Ludwig Boltzmann Society, the Municipal Department of Health and Environment of Vienna, the Federal State Governmental Department of Health of Lower Austria, and unrestricted scientific grants from AstraZeneca, Böhringer Ingelheim, Chiesi Pharma, Glaxo Smith Kline, Menarini Pharma, MSD, Novartis Pharma, Vivisol Health Care and Air liquide Company. None of the supporting parties had any participation in the data, nor did they contribute to the design or the content of the present manuscript.