Alcohol consumption and the risk of self-reported perennial and seasonal allergic rhinitis in young adult women in a population-based cohort study

  1. P. Bendtsen1,
  2. M. Grønbæk1,
  3. S. K. Kjær2,3,
  4. C. Munk2,
  5. A. Linneberg4,
  6. J. S. Tolstrup1

Article first published online: 20 FEB 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2008.02945.x

Issue

Clinical & Experimental Allergy

Clinical & Experimental Allergy

Volume 38, Issue 7, pages 1179–1185, July 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Bendtsen, P., Grønbæk, M., Kjær, S. K., Munk, C., Linneberg, A. and Tolstrup, J. S. (2008), Alcohol consumption and the risk of self-reported perennial and seasonal allergic rhinitis in young adult women in a population-based cohort study. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 38: 1179–1185. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2008.02945.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Centre for Alcohol Research, National Institute of Public Health, Øster Farimagsgade Copenhagen, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark,

  2. 2

    Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Strandboulevarden Copenhagen, Denmark,

  3. 3

    Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej, Copenhagen, Denmark

  4. 4

    Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup University Hospital, The Capital Region of Copenhagen, Denmark

*Correspondence: Janne Tolstrup, Centre for Alcohol Research, National Institute of Public Health, Øster Farimagsgade 5 A, DK-1399, Copenhagen, Denmark. E-mail: jst@niph.dk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 8 JUL 2008
  2. Article first published online: 20 FEB 2008
  3. Submitted 21 September 2007; revised 28 December 2007; accepted 31 December 2007

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Keywords:

  • alcohol consumption;
  • allergic rhinitis;
  • epidemiology;
  • prospective cohort study

Summary

Background Alcohol consumption has been suggested to be associated with the development of allergic rhinitis (AR), but there is limited data on the topic.

Objectives The objective of this study was to investigate the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of developing AR among young women.

Methods Five thousand eight hundred and seventy Danish women aged 20–29 years participated in a prospective cohort study, and were free of seasonal and perennial AR at baseline (1991–1993). Alcohol consumption was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. The main outcome measures were self-reported information on seasonal and perennial AR debuting during a mean follow-up period of 7.8 years.

Results During follow-up, 831 women developed seasonal AR and 523 women developed perennial AR, corresponding to 14% and 9%. Alcohol consumption was positively associated with the risk of developing perennial AR. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for perennial AR was 1.78 (95% CI, 1.13–2.80) among women drinking more than 14 drinks/week compared with women drinking <1 drink/week. There was no association between alcohol consumption and seasonal AR. Having one or two parents with asthma was, after adjustment, significantly associated with the risk of developing seasonal (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.65–2.45) and perennial AR (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.70–2.74). Smoking was not associated with an increased risk of developing AR.

Conclusion In this population of young adult women, alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of developing perennial AR.

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