E Savilahti1, M Siltanen, J Pekkanen, M Kajosaari. 1. Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, FIN-00029 Helsinki, Finland. erkki.savilahti@hus.fi
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Studies on the pregnancy outcome of asthmatic mothers have suggested an increased rate of preterm deliveries. In contrast, our earlier study suggests that mothers of very low birth weight (VLBW) (<1500 g) infants less frequently had atopy than did mothers of full-term infants. METHODS: We inquired about symptoms of atopy and doctor-diagnosed atopy in parents of 370 infants of VLBW (<1500 g) and 544 parents of full-term infants. Odds ratios for atopic symptoms and diagnosed atopy were calculated, and groups were compared with a trend test. RESULTS: Mothers of preterm infants of birth weight (BW) <1000 g significantly less often had physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (AR) (P=0.02). Among all the mothers, a trend test showed that maternal AR was significantly (P=0.03) higher in parallel with a higher infant BW. Fathers of infants with different BWs showed no differences in prevalence of atopic symptoms. CONCLUSION: We thus infer that maternal balance between T-helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 cells, shifted towards Th2 in those with AR, may have a favourable effect on maintenance of pregnancy before gestational week 30.
BACKGROUND: Studies on the pregnancy outcome of asthmatic mothers have suggested an increased rate of preterm deliveries. In contrast, our earlier study suggests that mothers of very low birth weight (VLBW) (<1500 g) infants less frequently had atopy than did mothers of full-term infants. METHODS: We inquired about symptoms of atopy and doctor-diagnosed atopy in parents of 370 infants of VLBW (<1500 g) and 544 parents of full-term infants. Odds ratios for atopic symptoms and diagnosed atopy were calculated, and groups were compared with a trend test. RESULTS: Mothers of preterm infants of birth weight (BW) <1000 g significantly less often had physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (AR) (P=0.02). Among all the mothers, a trend test showed that maternal AR was significantly (P=0.03) higher in parallel with a higher infant BW. Fathers of infants with different BWs showed no differences in prevalence of atopic symptoms. CONCLUSION: We thus infer that maternal balance between T-helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 cells, shifted towards Th2 in those with AR, may have a favourable effect on maintenance of pregnancy before gestational week 30.
Authors: Hanna Danielewicz; Anna Dębińska; Grzegorz Myszczyszyn; Anna Myszkal; Lidia Hirnle; Anna Drabik-Chamerska; Danuta Kalita; Andrzej Boznański Journal: Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol Date: 2021-05-10 Impact factor: 3.406