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The mutational spectrum of asthma and allergy associated genes is not known although recent biobank based exome sequencing studies included these traits. We therefore conducted a secondary analysis of exome data from 281,104 UK Biobank samples for association of mostly rare variants with asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. Variants of interest (VOI) were tabulated, shared genes annotated and compared to earlier genome-wide SNP association studies (GWAS), whole genome sequencing, exome and bisulfit sequencing studies. 354 VOI were significantly associated with asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. They cluster mainly in two large regions on chromosome 6 and 17. After exclusion of the variants associated with atopic dermatitis and redundant variants, 321 unique VOI remain in 122 unique genes. 30 genes are shared among the 87 genes with increased and the 65 genes with decreased risk for allergic disease. 85% of genes identified earlier by common GWAS SNPs are not replicated here. Most identified genes are located in interferon ɣ and IL33 signaling pathway. These genes include already known but also new pharmacological targets, including the IL33 receptor ST2/IL1RL1, as well as TLR1, ALOX15, GSDMA, BTNL2, IL13 and IKZF3. Future pharmacological studies will need to included these VOI for stratification of the study population paving the way to individualized treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early-life antibiotic use is associated with allergic diseases. The risk factors for the progression from atopic dermatitis (AD) to asthma or allergic rhinitis are still unknown. We aimed to investigate the association between exposure to different antibiotics and the risk of new-onset asthma in children with AD. By using the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005, we selected AD patients less than 6 years old identified by ICD-9-CM code 691.8. The case group was defined as those having new-onset asthma, and the control group was defined as those without an asthma history. Information on antibiotic exposure in the 5 years prior to the index date was collected from drug prescription records. We estimated the adjusted odds ratio by using conditional logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, index year, other potential risk factors and antibiotics. Antibiotic exposure was associated with the development of asthma in patients with AD (aOR = 3.68, 95% CI 2.13–6.36), particularly for patients less than 5 years old (aOR = 4.14, 95% CI 2.24–7.64) (p for trend < 0.001), even though lower cumulative antibiotic defined daily doses (DDDs) were associated with new-onset asthma occurrence. Antibiotic exposure, especially macrolide exposure, is associated with an increased risk of asthma in patients with AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the health effect of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at home, school, and/or public places on allergic multimorbidity using nationwide data among school-attending adolescents in Korea. Allergic multimorbidity was defined as two or more coexisting allergic diagnoses of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and/or atopic dermatitis during the past 12 months. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association of SHS exposure and allergic multimorbidity. Of the study participants, 24.3% were diagnosed as having any allergic disease currently and 66.3% reported SHS exposure. Any SHS exposure that includes public places conferred increased odds of atopic dermatitis in non-current smokers (adjusted odds ratio 1.21–1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10–1.66). Moreover, when controlling for current smoking additionally, SHS exposure at the three sites was 1.37 and 1.96 times more likely to be associated with allergic single and multiple morbidities, respectively (95% CI 1.26–1.49 and 1.65–2.31, respectively). In conclusion, this study found positive associations of SHS exposure with single or multiple allergic morbidity compared to no exposure at all. Further studies with longitudinal designs and objective measurement of SHS exposure and allergic diagnosis are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]