BACKGROUND: Lower prevalence rates for childhood respiratory allergies have been reported in eastern Germany than in western Germany. OBJECTIVE: Because allergic phenotypes are thought to be associated with an unbalanced T(H)1/T(H)2 T cell effector response, a cross-sectional investigation was carried out as part of the German ISAAC Phase II study to determine whether T(H)1/T(H)2 capacity might have developed in different directions during the separation between the 2 parts of the country. METHODS:In a community-based random sample of 9- to 11-year-old (n = 6399) and 5- to 7-year-old (n = 6202) children in eastern and western Germany, the prevalence of atopy was assessed. Heparinized blood samples were collected from a subgroup of children stratified according to the number of older siblings. T(H)1 and T(H)2 cytokine productivity was determined after stimulation with phorbol ester plus ionomycin. RESULTS: Individuals who grew up in eastern Germany had a marked bias toward T(H)0 responsiveness (>60%), regardless of whether they were atopic. In contrast, the children of western Germany, particularly when they were atopic, showed T(H)2 polarization. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first epidemiologic survey to demonstrate regional differences in the T(H)1/T(H)2 response pattern and their relation to atopic disease between regions.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Lower prevalence rates for childhood respiratory allergies have been reported in eastern Germany than in western Germany. OBJECTIVE: Because allergic phenotypes are thought to be associated with an unbalanced T(H)1/T(H)2 T cell effector response, a cross-sectional investigation was carried out as part of the German ISAAC Phase II study to determine whether T(H)1/T(H)2 capacity might have developed in different directions during the separation between the 2 parts of the country. METHODS: In a community-based random sample of 9- to 11-year-old (n = 6399) and 5- to 7-year-old (n = 6202) children in eastern and western Germany, the prevalence of atopy was assessed. Heparinized blood samples were collected from a subgroup of children stratified according to the number of older siblings. T(H)1 and T(H)2 cytokine productivity was determined after stimulation with phorbol ester plus ionomycin. RESULTS: Individuals who grew up in eastern Germany had a marked bias toward T(H)0 responsiveness (>60%), regardless of whether they were atopic. In contrast, the children of western Germany, particularly when they were atopic, showed T(H)2 polarization. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first epidemiologic survey to demonstrate regional differences in the T(H)1/T(H)2 response pattern and their relation to atopic disease between regions.
Authors: Caroline Roduit; Remo Frei; Martin Depner; Anne M Karvonen; Harald Renz; Charlotte Braun-Fahrländer; Elisabeth Schmausser-Hechfellner; Juha Pekkanen; Josef Riedler; Jean-Charles Dalphin; Erika von Mutius; Roger Pascal Lauener; Anne Hyvärinen; Pirkka Kirjavainen; Sami Remes; Marjut Roponen; Marie-Laure Dalphin; Vincent Kaulek; Markus Ege; Jon Genuneit; Sabina Illi; Micahel Kabesch; Bianca Schaub; Petra Ina Pfefferle; Gert Doekes Journal: JAMA Pediatr Date: 2017-07-01 Impact factor: 16.193
Authors: Rose-Minke Schure; Lotte H Hendrikx; Lia G H de Rond; Kemal Oztürk; Elisabeth A M Sanders; Guy A M Berbers; Anne-Marie Buisman Journal: Clin Vaccine Immunol Date: 2012-09-26
Authors: Monique Mommers; Gerard M H Swaen; Michaela Weishoff-Houben; Huub Creemers; Hermann Freund; Wolfgang Dott; Constant P van Schayck Journal: Eur J Epidemiol Date: 2004 Impact factor: 8.082