The role of early life food sensitization in adolescent lung function: Results from two birth cohort studies

Publication date: Available online 11 February 2019

Source: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice

Author(s): Shatha Alduraywish, Agnes Luzak, Caroline Lodge, Fahad Aldakheel, Bircan Erbas, Katrina Allen, Melanie Matheson, Lyle Gurrin, Joachim Heinrich, Irina Lehmann, Andrea von Berg, Marie Standl, Michael Abramson, Holger Schulz, Adrian Lowe, Shyamali Dharmage

Abstract

Background

It is unclear whether early life food sensitization (as opposed to aeroallergen sensitization) is associated with subsequent poor lung function.

Objectives

We investigated the associations between food sensitization in the first two years of life and lung function at 12 to 18 years and whether these observed associations are mediated through aeroallergen sensitization or asthma.

Methods

We used data from a high-risk cohort (MACS) and a population-based (LISAplus) cohort. Food sensitization was assessed at 6, 12 and 24-months in MACS and 24-months in LISAplus. Lung function was evaluated by spirometry at 12 and 18 years in MACS and 15 years in LISAplus. Linear regression models were used to estimate the association with sensitization (food and/or aeroallergen) while adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Sensitization to food without aeroallergen at 6 months was associated with reduced FEV₁ at both 12 years (-153 ml; 95%CI=-256ml, -51ml) and 18 years (-206 ml; 95%CI=-347ml, -65ml) in MACS. Similar results were observed for sensitization measured at 12 months but not at 24 months. Early life asthma (but not aeroallergen sensitization) partially mediated these associations. Both cohorts showed that only aeroallergen sensitization at 24 months but not food sensitization was associated with lower adolescent lung function.

Conclusion

This study showed that food sensitization at 6 and 12 months was associated with reduced FEV₁ in adolescence. Our finding that this link is not completely mediated by either subsequent asthma or aeroallergen sensitization is novel and suggests that early food sensitization itself can be used to identify high-risk groups for poor lung health.

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