Xu B, Järvelin M R, Hartikainen A L, Pekkanen J
Unit of Environmental Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, 70701 Kuopio, Finland.
Thorax. 2000 Aug;55(8):691-3. doi: 10.1136/thorax.55.8.691.
Influences of female hormones on the occurrence of allergic disorders have been suggested. Age at menarche may be a marker of endogenous oestrogen levels. Data from a Finnish birth cohort followed to adulthood were analysed to determine whether there is any association between maternal age at menarche and the occurrence of atopy among offspring.
The study was conducted in 5188 subjects born in northern Finland for whom data collections were started during pregnancy and a follow up examination was completed at the age of 31 years. Atopy was determined by skin prick tests with cat, birch, grass, and mite extracts, and doctor diagnosed asthma was ascertained by questionnaire at follow up. Maternal age at menarche was obtained from perinatal data. Logistic regression models were used to adjust for maternal age, parity, smoking, season of birth, parental allergy, and measures of adiposity and socioeconomic status.
The prevalence of atopy at the age of 31 years was lower in children whose mothers reached menarche at a later age, especially after age 15. Compared with children whose mothers started menarche at the age of 16 or over, the adjusted odds ratios of being atopic for children whose mothers started menarche younger than or at 12, 13, 14 and 15 years were 1.43 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.83), 1.29 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.60), 1. 15 (95% CI 0.93 to 1.42), and 1.19 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.48), respectively. Among girls, the offspring's own age at menarche was not significantly associated with atopy.
Our results encourage further evaluation of the potential effect of maternal age at menarche on the later development of atopy and possible biological mechanisms.
已有研究表明女性激素对过敏性疾病的发生有影响。初潮年龄可能是内源性雌激素水平的一个标志。对芬兰一个出生队列追踪至成年的数据进行分析，以确定母亲的初潮年龄与后代特应性疾病的发生之间是否存在关联。
该研究纳入了5188名出生于芬兰北部的受试者，他们在孕期开始收集数据，并在31岁时完成随访检查。通过用猫毛、桦树、草和螨虫提取物进行皮肤点刺试验来确定特应性疾病，并在随访时通过问卷调查确定医生诊断的哮喘。母亲的初潮年龄从围产期数据中获取。采用逻辑回归模型对母亲年龄、产次、吸烟情况、出生季节、父母过敏情况以及肥胖和社会经济地位的测量指标进行校正。
母亲初潮年龄较晚的儿童，尤其是15岁以后初潮的儿童，在31岁时患特应性疾病的患病率较低。与母亲在16岁及以上开始初潮的儿童相比，母亲在12岁及以下、13岁、14岁和15岁开始初潮的儿童患特应性疾病的校正比值比分别为1.43（95%可信区间1.12至1.83）、1.29（95%可信区间1.03至1.60）、1.15（95%可信区间0.93至1.42）和1.19（95%可信区间0.95至1.48）。在女孩中，后代自身的初潮年龄与特应性疾病无显著关联。
我们的研究结果促使进一步评估母亲初潮年龄对特应性疾病后期发展的潜在影响以及可能的生物学机制。
