Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
Centre for International Health, University of Bergen Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Bergen, Norway.
BMJ Open. 2022 Jun 2;12(6):e059434. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059434.
The Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) cohort was established to (1) investigate how exposures before conception and in previous generations influence health and disease, particularly allergies and respiratory health, (2) identify susceptible time windows and (3) explore underlying mechanisms. The ultimate aim is to facilitate efficient intervention strategies targeting multiple generations.
RHINESSA includes study participants of multiple generations from ten study centres in Norway (1), Denmark (1), Sweden (3), Iceland (1), Estonia (1), Spain (2) and Australia (1). The RHINESSA core cohort, adult offspring generation 3 (G3), was first investigated in 2014-17 in a questionnaire study (N=8818, age 18-53 years) and a clinical study (subsample, n=1405). Their G2 parents participated in the population-based cohorts, European Community Respiratory Heath Survey and Respiratory Health In Northern Europe, followed since the early 1990s when they were 20-44 years old, at 8-10 years intervals. Study protocols are harmonised across generations.
Collected data include spirometry, skin prick tests, exhaled nitric oxide, anthropometrics, bioimpedance, blood pressure; questionnaire/interview data on respiratory/general/reproductive health, indoor/outdoor environment, smoking, occupation, general characteristics and lifestyle; biobanked blood, urine, gingival fluid, skin swabs; measured specific and total IgE, DNA methylation, sex hormones and oral microbiome. Research results suggest that parental environment years before conception, in particular, father's exposures such as smoking and overweight, may be of key importance for asthma and lung function, and that there is an important susceptibility window in male prepuberty. Statistical analyses developed to approach causal inference suggest that these associations may be causal. DNA methylation studies suggest a mechanism for transfer of father's exposures to offspring health and disease through impact on offspring DNA methylation.
Follow-up is planned at 5-8 years intervals, first in 2021-2023. Linkage with health registries contributes to follow-up of the cohort.
北欧、西班牙和澳大利亚的呼吸健康（RHINESSA）队列成立的目的是：（1）研究受孕前和前几代人的暴露如何影响健康和疾病，特别是过敏和呼吸健康；（2）确定易感时间窗口；（3）探索潜在机制。最终目标是促进针对多代人的有效干预策略。
RHINESSA 包括来自挪威（1 个）、丹麦（1 个）、瑞典（3 个）、冰岛（1 个）、爱沙尼亚（1 个）、西班牙（2 个）和澳大利亚（1 个）的十个研究中心的多代研究参与者。RHINESSA 核心队列，第三代成年子女（G3）于 2014-2017 年首次进行了问卷调查研究（N=8818，年龄 18-53 岁）和临床研究（子样本，n=1405）。他们的 G2 父母参加了自 20 世纪 90 年代初以来以 8-10 年为间隔进行的基于人群的欧洲社区呼吸健康调查和北欧呼吸健康研究。研究方案在各代之间进行了协调。
收集的数据包括肺活量测定法、皮肤点刺试验、呼气一氧化氮、人体测量学、生物阻抗、血压；呼吸/一般/生殖健康、室内/室外环境、吸烟、职业、一般特征和生活方式的问卷调查/访谈数据；生物银行的血液、尿液、牙龈液、皮肤拭子；测量特定和总 IgE、DNA 甲基化、性激素和口腔微生物组。研究结果表明，受孕前多年的父母环境，特别是父亲的暴露，如吸烟和超重，可能对哮喘和肺功能至关重要，而且男性青春期前存在重要的易感性窗口。为了研究因果关系而开发的统计分析表明，这些关联可能是因果关系。DNA 甲基化研究表明，父亲的暴露通过对后代 DNA 甲基化的影响，将父亲的暴露传递给后代的健康和疾病的一种机制。
计划在 2021-2023 年进行 5-8 年的随访。与健康登记处的联系有助于队列的随访。
