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a Unit of
Environmental Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, 70701 Kuopio, Finland, b Department of Public Health and General
Practice, University of Oulu and Department of Epidemiology and Public
Health, Imperial College School of Medicine, London W2 1PG, UK, c Department of Obstetrics
and Gynaecology, University Hospital, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu,
Finland
Correspondence to: Dr B Xu, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College School of Medicine, London W2 1PG, UK email: b.xu{at}ic.ac.uk
Received 24 November 1999; Returned to authors 31 January 2000; Revised version received 31 March 2000; Accepted for publication 17 April 2000
BACKGROUND
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.
METHODSThe 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.
RESULTSThe 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.
CONCLUSIONOur results
encourage further evaluation of the potential effect of maternal age at
menarche on the later development of atopy and possible biological mechanisms.
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