Áine Hennessy1,2, Jonathan O'B Hourihane2,3, Lucio Malvisi1,2, Alan D Irvine2,4,5,6, Louise C Kenny7, Deirdre M Murray2,3, Mairead E Kiely1,2. 1. Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. 2. The Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. 3. Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. 4. Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. 5. Department of Paediatric Dermatology, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. 6. National Children's Research Centre, Dublin, Ireland. 7. Department of Women's and Children's Health, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prospective studies of antenatal and infant vitamin D exposure and atopic disease from extensively characterised, disease-specific, maternal-infant cohorts with gold standard analysis of vitamin D status and clinically validated atopic outcomes are lacking. This study aimed to investigate associations between intrauterine vitamin D status and atopic outcomes in an extensively characterised, disease-specific, maternal-infant cohort. METHODS: Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured in maternal sera at 15 weeks of gestation (n = 1537) and umbilical cord blood (n = 1050) using a CDC-accredited LC-MS/MS platform, and the association with clinically validated atopic disease outcomes (eczema, food allergy, asthma, allergic rhinitis) at 2 and 5 years was explored using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Persistent eczema in the first 2 years of life was present in 5% of infants. Food allergy at 2 years was confirmed in 4%. The prevalence of aeroallergen sensitisation at 2 years was 8%. Asthma at 5 years was reported in 15% and allergic rhinitis in 5% of 5-year-olds. There were no significant differences in the distributions of maternal 25(OH)D at 15 weeks of gestation (mean [SD] 58.4 [26.2] and 58.5 [26.1] nmol/L) and cord 25(OH)D concentrations (mean [SD] 35.2 [17.8] and 35.4 [18.3] nmol/L) between children with and without atopic disease. Neither maternal (aOR [95% CI]: 1.02 [0.97, 1.08], P = 0.450) nor cord 25(OH)D (aOR [95% CI]: 1.00 [0.91, 1.09], P = 0.991) were significant predictors of atopic disease outcomes in fully adjusted models. CONCLUSION: These data in a disease-specific cohort with prospectively collected, validated atopic outcomes do not support an association between antenatal exposure to vitamin D and atopic disease outcomes in childhood.
BACKGROUND: Prospective studies of antenatal and infantvitamin D exposure and atopic disease from extensively characterised, disease-specific, maternal-infant cohorts with gold standard analysis of vitamin D status and clinically validated atopic outcomes are lacking. This study aimed to investigate associations between intrauterine vitamin D status and atopic outcomes in an extensively characterised, disease-specific, maternal-infant cohort. METHODS: Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured in maternal sera at 15 weeks of gestation (n = 1537) and umbilical cord blood (n = 1050) using a CDC-accredited LC-MS/MS platform, and the association with clinically validated atopic disease outcomes (eczema, food allergy, asthma, allergic rhinitis) at 2 and 5 years was explored using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Persistent eczema in the first 2 years of life was present in 5% of infants. Food allergy at 2 years was confirmed in 4%. The prevalence of aeroallergen sensitisation at 2 years was 8%. Asthma at 5 years was reported in 15% and allergic rhinitis in 5% of 5-year-olds. There were no significant differences in the distributions of maternal 25(OH)D at 15 weeks of gestation (mean [SD] 58.4 [26.2] and 58.5 [26.1] nmol/L) and cord 25(OH)D concentrations (mean [SD] 35.2 [17.8] and 35.4 [18.3] nmol/L) between children with and without atopic disease. Neither maternal (aOR [95% CI]: 1.02 [0.97, 1.08], P = 0.450) nor cord 25(OH)D (aOR [95% CI]: 1.00 [0.91, 1.09], P = 0.991) were significant predictors of atopic disease outcomes in fully adjusted models. CONCLUSION: These data in a disease-specific cohort with prospectively collected, validated atopic outcomes do not support an association between antenatal exposure to vitamin D and atopic disease outcomes in childhood.