How does the season of birth influence the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis?

In a recent letter written to the editor of Clinical and Translational Allergy, Finnish researchers report that season of birth likely impacts an individual’s future risk of developing airway allergy and related diseases.

Study: Being born in autumn or winter is associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis in Finland. Image Credit: Halfpoint / Shutterstock.com

Does your season of birth affect disease risk?

In countries that experience intense variations in sunlight exposure throughout the year, the likelihood of certain non-communicable diseases is believed to be associated with the season of birth. In fact, one recent study reported the existence of an association between adult-onset asthma and season of birth in Finland.

Nevertheless, these studies have produced mixed results. Although some studies have reported that being born in the summer and fall seasons is associated with an increased risk of allergic rhinitis, other studies have reported an association between being born in the summer and spring months and a higher likelihood of developing asthma.

About the study

Researchers conducted a broader examination of the association between the season of birth and allergies of the respiratory system, including allergic rhinitis, asthma, non-allergic rhinitis, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD), and chronic rhinitis with and without nasal polyps.

Follow-up data were obtained from Finland’s health registry for patients who had visited hospitals in the districts of Uusimaa and Helsinki and were diagnosed with respiratory and otorhinolaryngological conditions. Various demographic factors including age, gender, and date of birth were extracted from the health records. Several keyword searches were also performed using International Statistical Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes to extract information about respiratory allergic conditions.

The seasons of birth were divided into winter, spring, summer, and autumn or fall. Winter months were from December to February, March to May were spring months, whereas summer and autumn were from June to August, and September to November, respectively.

Study findings

The incidence of asthma in individuals born in summer, autumn, winter, and spring months was 41.1%, 42.7%, 43.1%, and 42.1%, respectively. The incidence of allergic rhinitis was also lower among individuals born in the summer months, with the proportion of allergic rhinitis cases 10.7% in the summer as compared to 12.1%, 12.6%, and 12.0% for spring, winter, and autumn months, respectively.

The season of birth was not significantly associated with the incidence of chronic rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyps or with N-ERD. The incidence of chronic rhinosinusitis among individuals born in the summer, autumn, winter, and spring months was 9%, 8.7%, 9.1%, and 9.5%, respectively. The proportion of individuals with N-ERD was also largely uniform across summer, autumn, winter, and spring seasons of birth at 1.3%, 1.5%, 1.5%, and 1.4%, respectively.

The occurrence of allergic rhinitis modified the association between season of birth and chronic rhinosinusitis; however, this effect was not significant. Autumn and winter seasons of birth showed a combined association with allergic and non-allergic rhinitis. Similarly, spring and winter seasons of birth were associated with an increased risk of both asthma and non-allergic rhinitis.

These patterns suggest that exposure to greenery during pregnancy might play a role in the increased risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis in the infant. However, the results also indicate an association between adult-onset asthma and birth during winter months. These contrasting observations could be related to the birth decade, which was identified as a contributing factor by previous studies.

The potential mechanisms through which the season of birth impacts the incidence of respiratory allergies and allergic conditions include seasonal changes in exposure to luminosity and changes in vitamin D metabolism, as well as exposure to nature and air pollutants that impact the immunological responses and increase the risk of allergic rhinitis.

Conclusions

The researchers’ findings suggest that season of birth could contribute to the incidence of allergic rhinitis and asthma, with exposure to luminosity, greenness, and air pollutants during pregnancy potentially involved in the development of allergic immunological responses.

No significant associations were observed between season of birth and chronic rhinosinusitis, N-ERD, or non-allergic rhinitis. Thus, more research using a larger and more diverse cohort is needed in the future.

Journal reference:
  • Hänninen, R., Murtomäki, A., Svärd, F., et al. (2024). Being born in autumn or winter is associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis in Finland. Clinical and Translational Allergy 14(7). doi:10.1002/clt2.12383.
Dr. Chinta Sidharthan

Written by

Dr. Chinta Sidharthan

Chinta Sidharthan is a writer based in Bangalore, India. Her academic background is in evolutionary biology and genetics, and she has extensive experience in scientific research, teaching, science writing, and herpetology. Chinta holds a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the Indian Institute of Science and is passionate about science education, writing, animals, wildlife, and conservation. For her doctoral research, she explored the origins and diversification of blindsnakes in India, as a part of which she did extensive fieldwork in the jungles of southern India. She has received the Canadian Governor General’s bronze medal and Bangalore University gold medal for academic excellence and published her research in high-impact journals.

Citations

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

  • APA

    Sidharthan, Chinta. (2024, August 20). How does the season of birth influence the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis?. News-Medical. Retrieved on October 11, 2024 from https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240820/How-does-the-season-of-birth-influence-the-risk-of-asthma-and-allergic-rhinitis.aspx.

  • MLA

    Sidharthan, Chinta. "How does the season of birth influence the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis?". News-Medical. 11 October 2024. <https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240820/How-does-the-season-of-birth-influence-the-risk-of-asthma-and-allergic-rhinitis.aspx>.

  • Chicago

    Sidharthan, Chinta. "How does the season of birth influence the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis?". News-Medical. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240820/How-does-the-season-of-birth-influence-the-risk-of-asthma-and-allergic-rhinitis.aspx. (accessed October 11, 2024).

  • Harvard

    Sidharthan, Chinta. 2024. How does the season of birth influence the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis?. News-Medical, viewed 11 October 2024, https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240820/How-does-the-season-of-birth-influence-the-risk-of-asthma-and-allergic-rhinitis.aspx.

Comments

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
Post a new comment
Post

While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.

Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.

Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Read the full Terms & Conditions.

You might also like...
Selenium and manganese levels significantly impact mortality risk in asthma patients