A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Paternal adverse childhood experiences are associated with a low risk of atopy in the offspring
Authors: Puosi, Emma; Karlsson, Hasse; Lukkarinen, Heikki; Karlsson, Linnea; Lukkarinen, Minna
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Publication year: 2024
Journal: Acta Paediatrica
Journal name in source: Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
Journal acronym: Acta Paediatr
Volume: 13
Issue: 11
First page : 2438
Last page: 2451
ISSN: 0803-5253
eISSN: 1651-2227
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.17345
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.17345
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/457219176
Aim: Parental adverse childhood experiences (ACE) might affect the offspring health through intergenerational inheritance. The aim of this study was to investigate how paternal ACE associate with offspring sensitisation and allergic rhinitis (AR).
Methods: The study included 590 Finnish father-child dyads from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. Outcomes were offspring sensitisation against allergens and AR at age 5.5 years. Paternal ACE up to 18 years were assessed using the Trauma and Distress Scale (TADS) with the lowest quarter as the reference group.
Results: Of the children, 317 (54%) were males. Sensitisation occurred in 162/533 (30%) and AR in 122/590 (21%). Paternal TADS (median 17 points; interquartile range 11-27) was inversely associated with the risk of sensitisation. Children whose fathers scored the highest quarter had the lowest risk of sensitisation (adjusted odds ratio 0.42; 95% confidence interval 0.24-0.75), followed by those in the second highest quarter (0.58; 0.34-0.99). The association between the highest quarter and reduced risk of AR was similar.
Conclusion: Paternal ACE were associated with a low risk of offspring sensitisation and AR, suggesting paternal childhood stress might influence immune responses in their offspring.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |
Funding information in the publication:
This work was supported by the Academy of Finland, the Allergy Research Foundation, the Finnish Medical Foundation, the Juho Vainio Foundation, the Maire Taposen Foundation, the Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, the Southwestern Finland Foundation of Allergy Research, and the TYKS Foundation – all in Finland. None of the funding sources were involved in study design, data collection, analyses, interpretation of data, writing of the report or decision to submit this manuscript for publication.