The focus of this study is to evaluate the coexistence of asthma, allergic diseases and type 1 diabetes in childhood as well as the associations between early environmental risk and protective factors and the development of asthma, cow's milk allergy and type 1 diabetes.
Background
The study is coordinated by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), and it utilises data collected and recoded to the nationwide health registers (the Social Insurance Institution and THL) during years 1981-2009. In the present study, an association between asthma (Metsälä et al. Int J Epidemiol 2018) and antiasthmatic drugs (Metsälä et al. Am J Epidemiol 2020) and the development of type 1 diabetes in children has been observed.
The present study continues a series of register-based studies, in which a doctoral dissertation on perinatal factors and the use of antibiotics and the risk of cow's milk allergy and asthma (Metsälä J 2014) and a report on antibiotic use and the risk of type 1 diabetes (Kilkkinen et al. 2006) has been published.
Goal
Asthma and allergic diseases are common childhood diseases and the incidence of type 1 diabetes is highest in the world in Finland. Factors contributing to the development of these diseases are still not well known.
The aim of this study is to increase knowledge on the associations between various pregnancy and delivery related factors as well as early drug use and the development of asthma, cow's milk allergy and type 1 diabetes in childhood. In addition, the aim is to assess whether these diseases are associated and does the order of the disease appearance affect this association.
Funding source
Juho Vainio Foundation, Jenny and Antti Wihuri foundation, Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation, Päivikki and Seppo Sohlberg Foundation, Allergy Research Foundation
Contact persons
Suvi M. Virtanen
Research professor
suvi.virtanen [at] thl.fi
0295248729