Open AccessS and Z α 1 ‐antitrypsin alleles are risk factors for bronchial hyperresponsiveness in young farmers: an example of gene/environment interaction
Author(s) -
Sigsgaard T.,
Brandslund I.,
Omland Ø.,
Hjort C.,
Lund E.D.,
Pedersen O.F.,
Miller M.r
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
european respiratory journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.021
H-Index - 241
eISSN - 1399-3003
pISSN - 0903-1936
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-3003.2000.16a09.x
Subject(s) - bronchial hyperresponsiveness , asthma , confidence interval , odds ratio , allele , medicine , demography , provocation test , logistic regression , immunology , gastroenterology , genetics , respiratory disease , biology , gene , pathology , alternative medicine , lung , sociology
Several studies have found an association between the rare Pi‐alleles and asthma or bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). This study deals with the effect of Pi‐type on BHR among 2,308 young Danish people living in rural areas with a mean± sd age of 19.7±2.4 yrs. Interviews, pulmonary function testing, bronchial histamine provocation and skin‐prick tests were performed. Serum α 1 ‐antitrypsin levels were determined and phenotyping was performed by means of isoelectric focusing and the subjects categorized into four groups: 1) MM and MX; 2) MS; 3) MZ; and 4) rare, i.e. SZ, SS and ZZ. Among the farmers, a significant positive trend for sensitization towards house dust mites was found, ranging from 12% in the MM group to 22% in the rare Pi‐group. A positive test for trend was found within the Pi‐groups in a one‐sided test for doctor‐diagnosed asthma with a peak prevalence of 40% for these symptoms among smokers in the rare Pi‐group. On multiple logistic regression analysis, an increased odds ratio (OR) for BHR was found among farming school attendants with the rare Pi‐alleles. The OR (95% confidence interval) was 1.71 (0.84–3.49) for MS, 1.93 (1.10–3.39) for MZ and 4.34 (1.19–15.8) for the rare Pi‐group. Such a relationship was not found among the conscripts. These results show that a gene/environment interaction may exist between the farming occupation and the rare Pi‐alleles, leading to a higher proportion of bronchial hyperresponsiveness related to the rare Pi‐alleles in farming school attendants, in contrast to what is found among other young people living in rural areas.