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Test predicts asthma risk |
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University of Melbourne
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Tuesday, 11 March 2008 |
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Toddlers with eczema who have a positive skin prick test for
allergy have almost triple the risk of developing asthma than those
with a negative test, says an Australian study.
The study, led by the University of Melbourne, is the first to
clearly demonstrate that skin prick tests can be used to assess how
likely it is a baby or toddler with eczema will go on to develop asthma
later in childhood.
Researcher Adrian Lowe, from the University of Melbourne’s School of
Population Health, says the study shows that toddlers who have positive
skin prick tests have a much higher risk of developing asthma by the
time they are seven.
They are also more likely to develop hayfever, particularly if their skin prick test results suggest a possible food allergy.
“There has been much discussion about the links between eczema and
other allergic diseases such as asthma but this study is the first to
clearly demonstrate that among children with eczema there are certain
groups who are at much higher risk,’’ Mr Lowe says.
As part of the study, 620 Melbourne children with eczema were skin
prick tested for allergies to cows’ milk, egg white, peanut, house dust
mite, rye grass and cat hair.
Skin prick tests were conducted on the children at six months, one and
two years of age. The children’s allergy status was then followed up
five years later when the children had turned seven.
The study, published in the international journal Clinical and
Experimental Allergy, also included researchers from the John Hunter
Children’s Hospital, Monash University and Murdoch Children’s Research
Institute.
Mr Lowe says the study shows that skin prick testing may have benefits for the management of childhood allergies.
“By identifying high risk children we can explore ways of avoiding
potential allergens that could exacerbate their condition,” he says.
Mr Lowe says although eczema is extremely common – affecting up to 20
per cent of children – only a very small percentage are tested for
allergy.
“Given that specialist allergy testing requires a referral and long
waiting lists it is not surprising that children are rarely tested,” he
says.
Mr Lowe says the study also shows how skin prick testing has the
potential to boost future research into the links between eczema and
other allergic diseases.
“Previously researchers have studied children with eczema as if they
were one homogenous group,’ he says. “By showing that there are two
distinct categories of children with eczema, future studies can
separate these groups and we may be able to more accurately pinpoint
the causes of allergic diseases in the longer term.”
The research was funded by Dairy Australia, VicHealth, Nestle and the Asthma Foundation.
* The University of Melbourne has received a grant from the National
Health and Medical Research Council to extend the study to follow
children into their teenage years.
Mr Lowe encouraged the 620 families involved in the first stage of the study to phone 1800 779 558 to register.
Editor's Note:
Original news release can be found here.
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