Table 1.
Patient characteristics.
| Factor | N = 111 |
|---|---|
| At study entry | |
|
| |
| Age | 12 (sd 6.0) |
| Male | 74 (67%) |
| Female | 37 (33%) |
| Eczema | 32 (29%) |
| Atopic eczema | 17/108 (15%) |
| Atopic illness* | 62 (56%) |
| Allergen sensitization# | 25/108 (23%) |
| Blood eosinophilia ≥0.4 × 109/L | 45/107 (41%) |
| Parental asthma | 22 (20%) |
| Parental smoking | 45 (41%) |
Values are presented as number of cases (%) and mean (standard deviation).
*
The term ‘atopic illness’ included specific sensitization, eczema, and/or blood eosinophil count ≥0.4 9 109/L
#
Allergen sensitization was defined as a positive IgE antibody result (>0.35 kU/L) to any of the following allergens: codfish, cow’s milk, egg, peanut, soybean, wheat, cat, dog, horse, birch, mugwort, timothy grass, Cladosporium herbarum, and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Phadiatop Combi; Phadia, Uppsala, Sweden).