van der Valk, 2013
| Data type(s) | Epidemiology |
|---|---|
| Full citation | van der Valk RJ, Kiefte-de Jong JC, Sonnenschein-van der Voort AM, Duijts L, Hafkamp-de Groen E, Moll HA, Tiemeier H, Steegers EA, Hofman A, Jaddoe VW, de Jongste JC. 2013. Neonatal folate, homocysteine, vitamin B12 levels and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase variants in childhood asthma and eczema. Allergy 68(6): 788-795. |
| Abstract | OBJECTIVES: To assess the associations of folate, homocysteine and vitamin B12 levels of children at birth and their methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) variants with asthma and eczema in childhood. METHODS: This study was embedded in a population-based prospective cohort study (n = 2,001). Neonatal cord blood folate, homocysteine and vitamin B12 levels were measured, and MTHFR C677T and A1298C genotyped. Wheezing and physician-diagnosed eczema were annually obtained by questionnaire until 4 years. At 6 years, we collected information on physician-diagnosed asthma ever and self-reported eczema ever, measured fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and interrupter resistance (Rint). Data were analysed with generalized estimating equations or logistic regression: continuous outcomes with linear regression models. RESULTS: Folate, homocysteine and vitamin B12 levels of children at birth were not associated with wheezing or eczema until 4 years, asthma and eczema ever, or FeNO or Rint at 6 years. In children carrying C677T mutations in MTHFR, higher folate levels were associated with an increased risk of eczema (repeated eczema until 4 years: OR 1.40 (95% CI 1.09-1.80) (SD change) P-interaction = 0.003, eczema ever at 6 years: OR 1.41 (0.97-2.03) P-interaction = 0.011). No interactions between MTHFR and child folate and homocysteine levels were observed for wheezing and asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Folate, homocysteine and vitamin B12 levels of children at birth did not affect asthma- and eczema-related outcomes up to the age of 6 years. Further studies are warranted to establish the role of MTHFR variants in these associations. |
| Reference hyperlink | |
| Literature review tags | Human Study |
| COI reported | Authors report they have no COI |
| COI details | The authors declare no conflict of interest. |
| Funding source | The general design of the Generation R Study is made possible by financial support from the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and the Ministry of Youth and Families. Vincent Jaddoe MD PhD received an additional grant from the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (Zon-Mw 90700303, 916.10159). Liesbeth Duijts MD PhD is the recipient of a European Respiratory Society/Marie Curie Joint Research Fellowship – Number MC 1226-2009. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Respiratory Society and the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 –Marie Curie Actions under grant agreement RESPIRE, PCOFUND-GA-2008-229571 and from the seventh framework programme, project CHICOS (HEALTH-F2-2009-241504). |
| Study identifier | {van der Valk, 2013 #87736} |
| Author contacted? | false |
| Summary/extraction comments | Table 2 Folate (1), wheezing and eczema each year and overall (10): OR & 95% CI Table 3 Folate (1), asthma and eczema (2): OR & 95% CI; FeNO (1) Ratio change; Rint (1) Z-score change |