Sex-specific incidence of asthma, rhinitis and respiratory multimorbidity before and after puberty onset: individual participant meta-analysis of five birth cohorts collaborating in MeDALL.

Abstract

Introduction:

To understand the puberty-related sex shift in the prevalence of asthma and rhinitis as single entities and as respiratory multimorbidities, we investigated if there is also a sex-specific and puberty-related pattern of their incidences.

Methods:

We used harmonised questionnaire data from 18 451 participants in five prospective observational European birth cohorts within the collaborative MeDALL (Mechanisms of the Development of Allergy) project. Outcome definitions for IgE-associated and non-IgE-associated asthma, rhinitis and respiratory multimorbidity (first occurrence of coexisting asthma and rhinitis) were based on questionnaires and the presence of specific antibodies (IgE) against common allergens in serum. For each outcome, we used proportional hazard models with sex-puberty interaction terms and conducted a one-stage individual participant data meta-analysis.

Results:

Girls had a lower risk of incident asthma (adjusted HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.74), rhinitis (0.73, 0.69 to 0.78) and respiratory multimorbidity (0.58, 0.51 to 0.66) before puberty compared with boys. After puberty onset, these incidences became more balanced across the sexes (asthma 0.84, 0.64 to 1.10; rhinitis 0.90, 0.80 to 1.02; respiratory multimorbidity 0.84, 0.63 to 1.13). The incidence sex shift was slightly more distinct for non-IgE-associated respiratory diseases (asthma 0.74, 0.63 to 0.87 before vs 1.23, 0.75 to 2.00 after puberty onset; rhinitis 0.88, 0.79 to 0.98 vs 1.20, 0.98 to 1.47; respiratory multimorbidity 0.66, 0.49 to 0.88 vs 0.96, 0.54 to 1.71) than for IgE-associated respiratory diseases.

Discussion:

We found an incidence 'sex shift' in chronic respiratory diseases from a male predominance before puberty to a more sex-balanced incidence after puberty onset, which may partly explain the previously reported sex shift in prevalence. These differences need to be considered in public health to enable effective diagnoses and timely treatment in adolescent girls.

• Authors: Cynthia Hohmann, Theresa Keller, Ulrike Gehring, Alet Wijga, Marie Standl, Inger Kull, Anna Bergstrom, Irina Lehmann, Andrea von Berg, Joachim Heinrich, Susanne Lau, Ulrich Wahn, Dieter Maier, Josep Anto, Jean Bousquet, Henriette Smit, Thomas Keil, Stephanie Roll
• Journal: BMJ open respiratory research (BMJ Open Respir Res) Vol. 6 Issue 1 Pg. e000460 ( 2019) ISSN: 2052-4439 [Print] England
• PMID: 31673365 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Topics

• Adolescent
• Age Factors
• Asthma (epidemiology)
• Child
• Cohort Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Incidence
• Male
• Multimorbidity
• Puberty
• Respiratory Tract Diseases (epidemiology)
• Rhinitis (epidemiology)
• Sex Distribution