Childhood asthma may increase risk of developing type 1 diabetes and IBD
Denmark: Researchers from COPSAC, Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood, Copenhagen, Denmark, have mentioned a higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease in children having a history of childhood asthma at the age of 5 to 7 years. The researchers have dismissed the explanations relating to helper cells type 2 (Th2) versus T helper cells type 1 for these diseases. They have discussed about common mechanisms for these three chronic inflammatory diseases.
The study is published in Scientific Reports.
It is already known that Asthma and autoimmune disorders may get affected by opposing immune mechanisms, Th2 and Th1 immunity, respectively.
Asthma is highly prevalent among children globally. Larger cohorts with longer follow-up duration are required to understand Asthma's association with other common chronic inflammatory conditions. The knowledge regarding a better understanding of underlying etiologies can be enhanced by increasing knowledge on comorbidity.
The high prevalence of Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, and childhood asthma suggests potential shared mechanisms. T-cell-mediated responses of Th1 cells relate to the pathogenesis of chronic conditions, while in Asthma and allergy, Th2 predominance is typical.
Based on Th1 and Th2 counteracting and cross-regulatory properties, it may be presumed that the occurrence of one of the disorders would reduce the risk of developing the other. The researchers examined positive, negative or no association between childhood asthma and the two groups of chronic inflammatory diseases: type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel diseases, using a nationwide population-based cohort of all Danish children and adolescents (1991–96).
Childhood asthma was defined as a minimum of two collected prescriptions of inhalation corticosteroids at age 5–7 years, linked to hospitalisations with either T1D or IBD after age 8.
The key study points include the following:
- The study had 366,200 children.
- 4.9 % of children had Asthma.
- Asthma increased the risk of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) with hazard ratios of 1.32 and 1.27, respectively.
Dr Mie Sylow Liljendahl said, "Those children having Asthma were at greater risk of developing T1D and IBD. Our study results contradict Th1 vs Th2 paradigm and point towards shared disease mechanisms and risk factors."
The researchers explained the importance of efficient prevention of childhood asthma, e.g. micronutrient supplementation in pregnancy in reducing the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.
Further reading:
Liljendahl, M.S., Sevelsted, A., Chawes, B.L. et al. Childhood asthma is associated with the development of type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel diseases: a Danish nationwide registry study. Sci Rep 12, 21728 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26067-4
