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Background: Atopic diseases constitute a major public health problem, increasing constantly in frequency and severity. While treatments are improving, the main cause for an increasing trend of hay fever and its definite triggers remain unclear. The aim of our study was to assess whether physical inactivity could be a risk factor for hay fever. Methods: We analysed data of a cohort of children aged 5–14 years at baseline (1992–1993) who were followed up until 2003–2005. Parental-reported information on physical activity (being active, doing sports) was obtained for 2429 children participating at the baseline survey (active: n = 1923; semi-active: n = 364; inactive: n = 142). A total of 1703 children (70.1%) were reapproached at least once during follow-up. Logistic regression models were applied to study associations between hay fever, allergic sensitization and physical activity, adjusted for potentially relevant confounders such as age, gender, study site, parental education, breastfeeding, crowding, daycare, dampness or visible moulds, contact to cats, current or prior environmental tobacco smoke exposure and parental atopy. Results: Significantly higher rates of hay fever were seen for inactive children [aOR 2.39 (95% CI 1.31–4.36) for baseline survey 1992–1993 and aOR 1.76 (95% CI 1.14–2.71) for the follow-up-period until 2005]. In addition, the relative risk of incident cases of hay fever increased depending on inactivity [aRR 1.50 (95% CI 1.05–2.13)]. No association was found between physical inactivity and allergic sensitization assessed by radioallergosorbent test determinations. Conclusions: Although the underlying biological mechanisms could not be clarified, increasing physical activity in childhood is suggested to prevent hay fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess time trends in symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema among children in Münster, Germany. Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys 5-years apart (1994/1995, 1999/2000) using ISAAC core written and video questionnaires and applying the ISAAC protocol. Two main age groups (6–7 and 13–14 year olds) were designated with information collected by parental and self-report for both age groups, respectively. A school-based sample of 7744 participants in the 1994/1995 survey and 7962 participants in the 1999/2000 survey was recruited. In the first and second surveys, response rates for the 6–7 year olds were 81 and 82%, respectively, while for the 13–14 year olds response rates were 94% in both. Analyses focus on the change in 12-month prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. Results: There is a tendency towards an increase in current symptoms for all three conditions and in both age groups, but more so among girls. Indices of diagnosis either remained the same or increased in parallel to the increase in symptoms. Indices of severity also showed a homogenous increase in the 5-year study period. Conclusions: Our study shows that symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema are increasing, reflecting a change in the morbidity of these conditions in our population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the relation between FADS polymorphisms and atopic diseases in children. It defines the role of disturbed metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the development of atopic diseases. It also states the genotyping of the FADS single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including rs174545, rs174561, and rs3834458 was carried out with MALDI-TOF MS.

Blood and tissue contents of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) are related to numerous health outcomes including cardiovascular health, allergies, mental health and cognitive development. Evidence has accumulated to show that in addition to diet, common polymorphisms in the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) gene cluster have very marked effects on human PUFA and LC-PUFA status. Recent results suggest that in addition to fatty acid desaturase 1 and fatty acid desaturase 2, the gene product of fatty acid desaturase 3 is associated with desaturating activity. New data have become available to show that FADS single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) also modulate docosahexaenoic acid status in pregnancy as well as LC-PUFA levels in children and in human milk. There are indications that FADS SNPs modulate the risk for allergic disorders and eczema, and the effect of breastfeeding on later cognitive development. Mechanisms by which FADS SNPs modulate PUFA levels in blood, breast milk and tissues should be explored further. More studies are required to explore the effects of FADS gene variants in populations with different ethnic backgrounds, lifestyles and dietary habits, and to investigate in greater depth the interaction of gene variants, diet and clinical end points, including immune response and developmental outcomes. Analyses of FADS gene variants should be included into all sizeable cohort and intervention studies addressing biological effects of PUFA and LC-PUFA in order to consider these important confounders, and to enhance study sensitivity and precision., (© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Aim: To describe day care attendance in Germany today (in former East and former West Germany). To investigate longitudinally whether children attending day care centres have an increased risk of acquiring common cold, bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis media or diarrhea., Methods: Questionnaire information was collected when the children in the cohort were 6, 12, 18, 24 months, and 4 and 6 years old. Day care within the first and first 2 years of life was investigated longitudinally with GEE (generalised estimating equations) methods in relation to common cold, bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis media and diarrhea within the first 6 years of life., Results: Day care centre attendance is more common in former East than in former West Germany; this difference is evident even 10-12 years after German reunification. Children attending a day care centre were more likely to have common cold, bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis media and diarrhea within the first 2-3 years of life. With the exception of common cold, from year 4 onwards these associations were not statistically significant anymore and even reversed for some of the infections., Conclusions: Children attending day care centres were at an increased risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections within the first years of life. However, around school age these differences disappeared or even partly reversed.