Prevalence and early-life risk factors of school-age allergic multimorbidity: The EuroPrevall-iFAAM birth cohort.

BACKGROUND: Coexistence of childhood asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis is higher than can be expected by chance, suggesting a common mechanism. Data on allergic multimorbidity from a pan-European, population-based birth cohort study have been lacking. This study compares the prevalence and early-life risk factors of these diseases in European primary school children. METHODS: In the prospective multicentre observational EuroPrevall-iFAAM birth cohort study, we used standardized questionnaires on sociodemographics, medical history, parental allergies and lifestyle, and environmental exposures at birth, 12 and 24 months. At primary school age, parents answered ISAAC-based questions on current asthma, rhinitis and eczema. Allergic multimorbidity was defined as the coexistence of at least two of these. RESULTS: From 10,563 children recruited at birth in 8 study centres, we included data from 5,572 children (mean age 8.2 years; 51.8% boys). Prevalence estimates were as follows: asthma, 8.1%; allergic rhinitis, 13.3%; and eczema, 12.0%. Allergic multimorbidity was seen in 7.0% of the whole cohort, ranging from 1.2% (Athens, Greece) to 10.9% (Madrid, Spain). Risk factors for allergic multimorbidity, identified with AICc, included family-allergy-score, odds ratio (OR) 1.50 (95% CI 1.32-1.70) per standard deviation; early-life allergy symptoms, OR 2.72 (2.34-3.16) for each symptom; and caesarean birth, OR 1.35 (1.04-1.76). Female gender, OR 0.72 (0.58-0.90); older siblings, OR 0.79 (0.63-0.99); and day care, OR 0.81 (0.63-1.06) were protective factors. CONCLUSION: Allergic multimorbidity should be regarded as an important chronic childhood disease in Europe. Some of the associated early-life factors are modifiable and may be considered for prevention strategies.

Respiratory function and CT abnormalities among survivors of COVID-19 pneumonia: a nationwide follow-up study.

INTRODUCTION: Considering the pulmonary burden caused by acute COVID-19, questions remain of respiratory consequences after recovery. The aim of the study was to describe respiratory function of COVID-19 pneumonia survivors at mid-term follow-up (median 68 days) and assess whether impairments were predicted by acute illness severity or residual CT abnormalities. METHODS: Residents of Iceland that had COVID-19 and oxygen saturation ≤94% from 28 February 2020 to 30 April 2021 were offered a clinical follow-up visit with an interview, a 6 min walk test (6MWT), spirometry with gas exchange measurement and chest CT. The results of these examinations were described, grouped by the level of care during acute illness. The associations of disease severity and CT abnormalities at follow-up with subjective dyspnoea, 6MWT results and lung function test results were estimated with regression analyses. RESULTS: Of 190 eligible patients, 164 (86%) participated in the study. Of those, 32 had never been admitted to hospital, 103 were admitted to hospital without intensive care and 29 had required intensive care. At a follow-up, need for intensive care during acute illness was associated with shorter walking distance on 6MWT, lower oxygen saturation and lower DLCO. Imaging abnormalities at follow-up were observed for most participants (74%) and the magnitude of these changes was associated with decrements in 6MWT distance, oxygen saturation, forced vital capacity and DLCO. CONCLUSIONS: The findings show that impaired exercise capacity and lung physiology at follow-up were primarily observed for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia that required intensive care treatment and/or had persistent imaging abnormalities.