Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Dec;74(12):2406-2416.
doi: 10.1111/all.13971. Epub 2019 Jul 24.

Risk of adult-onset asthma increases with the number of allergic multimorbidities and decreases with age

Sanna Toppila-Salmi  1   2 , Sebastien Chanoine  3   4   5 , Jussi Karjalainen  6 , Juha Pekkanen  7   8 , Jean Bousquet  9   10   11   12 , Valérie Siroux  3
Affiliations

Risk of adult-onset asthma increases with the number of allergic multimorbidities and decreases with age

Sanna Toppila-Salmi et al. Allergy. 2019 Dec.

Abstract

Background: The aim was to study the association between allergic multimorbidity and adult-onset asthma considering the number of allergic diseases and the age effect.

Methods: We used population-based data from Finnish national registers including 1205 adults over 30 years of age with recently diagnosed asthma (age range: 30-93), matched for gender, age, and living region with one or two controls (n = 2050). Allergic rhinitis (AR), allergic conjunctivitis (AC), and allergic dermatitis (AD) were defined from self-completed questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression adjusted on potential confounders (smoking, growing in countryside, childhood hospitalized infection/pneumonia, parental asthma/allergy, parental smoking, education level, professional training, number of siblings, and birth order) was applied to estimate the asthma risk associated with allergic multimorbidity.

Results: A total of 1118 cases with asthma and 1772 matched controls were included [mean (SD, min-max) 53 (11, 31-71) years, 37% men)]. AR, AC, and AD were reported by 50.2%, 39.6%, and 33.8%, respectively, among subjects with asthma and 26.1%, 20.0%, and 23.5%, respectively, among controls. Compared to nonatopics, adult-onset asthma increased with the number of allergic diseases; adjusted OR for asthma [95% CI] associated with 1, 2, and 3 allergic diseases was 1.95 [1.52-2.49], 2.87 [2.19-3.77], and 4.26 [3.07-5.90], respectively. The association between adult-onset asthma and ≥ 1 allergic multimorbidity decreased with increasing age (3.52 [2.51-4.94], 2.44 [1.74-3.42], and 1.68 [1.04-2.71]) in subjects < 50 years, 50-62 years, and > 62 years, respectively (p for age*≥1 allergic multimorbidity interaction, 0.002).

Conclusions: Adult-onset asthma was positively associated with the number of allergic diseases, and this association decreases with age.

Keywords: Asthma; atopic dermatitis; epidemiology; ocular allergy; rhinitis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

  • Analysis of Multimorbidity of Moderate to Severe Allergic Rhinitis in Children: A Real-World Study.
    Gu Z, Wei P, Kou W, Tang XY, Yao HB, Liu EM. Gu Z, et al. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2023;184(9):882-892. doi: 10.1159/000530842. Epub 2023 Jun 8. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2023. PMID: 37290409
  • Allergic multimorbidity is associated with self-reported anaphylaxis in adults-A cross-sectional questionnaire study.
    Thomander T, Toppila-Salmi S, Salimäki J, Jantunen J, Huhtala H, Pallasaho P, Kauppi P. Thomander T, et al. Clin Transl Allergy. 2022 Jul 21;12(7):e12184. doi: 10.1002/clt2.12184. eCollection 2022 Jul. Clin Transl Allergy. 2022. PMID: 35874970 Free PMC article.
  • Farm environment in childhood prevents the development of allergies.
    Kilpeläinen M, Terho EO, Helenius H, Koskenvuo M. Kilpeläinen M, et al. Clin Exp Allergy. 2000 Feb;30(2):201-8. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00800.x. Clin Exp Allergy. 2000. PMID: 10651772
  • Rhinitis associated with asthma is distinct from rhinitis alone: The ARIA-MeDALL hypothesis.
    Bousquet J, Melén E, Haahtela T, Koppelman GH, Togias A, Valenta R, Akdis CA, Czarlewski W, Rothenberg M, Valiulis A, Wickman M, Akdis M, Aguilar D, Bedbrook A, Bindslev-Jensen C, Bosnic-Anticevich S, Boulet LP, Brightling CE, Brussino L, Burte E, Bustamante M, Canonica GW, Cecchi L, Celedon JC, Chaves Loureiro C, Costa E, Cruz AA, Erhola M, Gemicioglu B, Fokkens WJ, Garcia-Aymerich J, Guerra S, Heinrich J, Ivancevich JC, Keil T, Klimek L, Kuna P, Kupczyk M, Kvedariene V, Larenas-Linnemann DE, Lemonnier N, Lodrup Carlsen KC, Louis R, Makela M, Makris M, Maurer M, Momas I, Morais-Almeida M, Mullol J, Naclerio RN, Nadeau K, Nadif R, Niedoszytko M, Okamoto Y, Ollert M, Papadopoulos NG, Passalacqua G, Patella V, Pawankar R, Pham-Thi N, Pfaar O, Regateiro FS, Ring J, Rouadi PW, Samolinski B, Sastre J, Savouré M, Scichilone N, Shamji MH, Sheikh A, Siroux V, Sousa-Pinto B, Standl M, Sunyer J, Taborda-Barata L, Toppila-Salmi S, Torres MJ, Tsiligianni I, Valovirta E, Vandenplas O, Ventura MT, Weiss S, Yorgancioglu A, Zhang L, Abdul Latiff AH, Aberer W, Agache I, Al-Ahmad M, Alobid I, Ansotegui IJ, Arshad SH, Asayag E, Barbara C, Baharudin A, Battur L, Bennoor KS, Berghea EC, Bergmann KC, B… See abstract for full author list ➔ Bousquet J, et al. Allergy. 2023 May;78(5):1169-1203. doi: 10.1111/all.15679. Epub 2023 Apr 10. Allergy. 2023. PMID: 36799120 Review.
  • Daily allergic multimorbidity in rhinitis using mobile technology: A novel concept of the MASK study.
    Bousquet J, Devillier P, Anto JM, Bewick M, Haahtela T, Arnavielhe S, Bedbrook A, Murray R, van Eerd M, Fonseca JA, Morais Almeida M, Todo Bom A, Menditto E, Passalacqua G, Stellato C, Triggiani M, Ventura MT, Vezzani G, Annesi-Maesano I, Bourret R, Bosse I, Caimmi D, Cartier C, Demoly P, Just J, Portejoie F, Siroux V, Viart F, Bergmann KC, Keil T, Klimek L, Mösges R, Pfaar O, Shamai S, Zuberbier T, Mullol J, Valero A, Spranger O, Tomazic PV, Kowalski ML, Kuna P, Kupczyk M, Raciborski F, Samolinski B, Toppila-Salmi SK, Valovirta E, Cruz AA, Sarquis-Serpa F, da Silva J, Stelmach R, Larenas-Linnemann D, Rodriguez Gonzalez M, Burguete Cabañas MT, Kvedariene V, Valiulis A, Chavannes NH, Fokkens WJ, Ryan D, Sheikh A, Bachert C, Hellings PW, VandenPlas O, Ballardini N, Kull I, Melén E, Westman M, Wickman M, Bindslev-Jensen C, Eller E, Bosnic-Anticevich S, O'Hehir RE, Agache I, Bieber T, Casale T, Gemicioğlu B, Ivancevich JC, De Vries G, Sorensen M, Yorgancioglu A, Laune D; MACVIA working group. Bousquet J, et al. Allergy. 2018 Aug;73(8):1622-1631. doi: 10.1111/all.13448. Epub 2018 Apr 24. Allergy. 2018. PMID: 29569295 Review.
See all similar articles

Cited by

  • Aligning the Good Practice MASK With the Objectives of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing.
    Bousquet J, Farrell J, Illario M; ARIA-MASK study group. Bousquet J, et al. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2020 Mar;12(2):238-258. doi: 10.4168/aair.2020.12.2.238. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2020. PMID: 32009320 Free PMC article. Review.
  • Real-world data using mHealth apps in rhinitis, rhinosinusitis and their multimorbidities.
    Sousa-Pinto B, Anto A, Berger M, Dramburg S, Pfaar O, Klimek L, Jutel M, Czarlewski W, Bedbrook A, Valiulis A, Agache I, Amaral R, Ansotegui IJ, Bastl K, Berger U, Bergmann KC, Bosnic-Anticevich S, Braido F, Brussino L, Cardona V, Casale T, Canonica GW, Cecchi L, Charpin D, Chivato T, Chu DK, Cingi C, Costa EM, Cruz AA, Devillier P, Durham SR, Ebisawa M, Fiocchi A, Fokkens WJ, Gemicioğlu B, Gotua M, Guzmán MA, Haahtela T, Ivancevich JC, Kuna P, Kaidashev I, Khaitov M, Kvedariene V, Larenas-Linnemann DE, Lipworth B, Laune D, Matricardi PM, Morais-Almeida M, Mullol J, Naclerio R, Neffen H, Nekam K, Niedoszytko M, Okamoto Y, Papadopoulos NG, Park HS, Passalacqua G, Patella V, Pelosi S, Pham-Thi N, Popov TA, Regateiro FS, Reitsma S, Rodriguez-Gonzales M, Rosario N, Rouadi PW, Samolinski B, Sá-Sousa A, Sastre J, Sheikh A, Ulrik CS, Taborda-Barata L, Todo-Bom A, Tomazic PV, Toppila-Salmi S, Tripodi S, Tsiligianni I, Valovirta E, Ventura MT, Valero AA, Vieira RJ, Wallace D, Waserman S, Williams S, Yorgancioglu A, Zhang L, Zidarn M, Zuberbier J, Olze H, Antó JM, Zuberbier T, Fonseca JA, Bousquet J. Sousa-Pinto B, et al. Clin Transl Allergy. 2022 Nov;12(11):e12208. doi: 10.1002/clt2.12208. Clin Transl Allergy. 2022. PMID: 36434742 Free PMC article.
  • Risk factors of NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease: A population-based study.
    Helevä A, Murtomäki A, Huhtala H, Bousquet J, Luukkainen A, Karjalainen J, Lemmetyinen R, Haukka J, Torkki P, Nuutinen M, Toppila-Salmi S. Helevä A, et al. Clin Transl Allergy. 2023 Aug;13(8):e12296. doi: 10.1002/clt2.12296. Clin Transl Allergy. 2023. PMID: 37632242 Free PMC article.
  • Risk factors for severe adult-onset asthma: a multi-factor approach.
    Toppila-Salmi S, Lemmetyinen R, Chanoine S, Karjalainen J, Pekkanen J, Bousquet J, Siroux V. Toppila-Salmi S, et al. BMC Pulm Med. 2021 Jul 8;21(1):214. doi: 10.1186/s12890-021-01578-4. BMC Pulm Med. 2021. PMID: 34238263 Free PMC article.
  • Monoclonal Antibodies and Airway Diseases.
    Lyly A, Laulajainen-Hongisto A, Gevaert P, Kauppi P, Toppila-Salmi S. Lyly A, et al. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Dec 13;21(24):9477. doi: 10.3390/ijms21249477. Int J Mol Sci. 2020. PMID: 33322143 Free PMC article. Review.
See all "Cited by" articles

References

REFERENCES

    1. Bousquet J, Hellings PW, Agache I, et al. ARIA 2016: Care pathways implementing emerging technologies for predictive medicine in rhinitis and asthma across the life cycle. Clin Transl Allergy 2016;6:47.
    1. Reddel HK, Bateman ED, Becker A, et al. A summary of the new GINA strategy: a roadmap to asthma control. Eur Respir J 2015;46(3):622-639.
    1. Anto JM, Bousquet J, Akdis M, et al. Mechanisms of the Development of Allergy (MeDALL): Introducing novel concepts in allergy phenotypes. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017;139(2):388-399.
    1. Gough H, Grabenhenrich L, Reich A, et al. Allergic multimorbidity of asthma, rhinitis and eczema over 20 years in the German birth cohort MAS. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2015;26(5):431-437.
    1. Gradman J, Wolthers OD. Allergic conjunctivitis in children with asthma, rhinitis and eczema in a secondary outpatient clinic. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2006;17(7):524-526.

Publication types