Low Concentration of Fecal Valeric Acid at 1 Year of Age Is Linked with Eczema and Food Allergy at 13 Years of Age: Findings from a Swedish Birth Cohort
Journal article, 2022

Background: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are abundant bacterial metabolites in the gut, with immunomodulatory properties. Hence, they may influence allergy development. Previous studies have linked fecal SCFA pattern during infancy with allergy. However, the association of SCFAs to allergic outcomes in adolescence is not well established. Here, we examined how the fecal SCFA pattern at 1 year of age related to allergy at 13 years of age. Methods: Levels of 8 SCFAs in fecal samples collected at 1 year of age from 110 children were quantified using gas chromatography. The same individuals were evaluated at 13 years of age for allergic symptoms, allergy diagnosis and allergy medication by questionnaire, and for sensitization using skin prick test against egg, milk, fish, wheat and soy, cat, dog, horse, birch, and timothy grass. Results: The concentration of fecal valeric acid at 1 year of age was inversely associated with eczema at 13 years of age (OR 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-1.0, p = 0.049) and showed a trend for inverse association with food allergy at 13 years of age (OR 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-1.0, p = 0.057). In a sub-group analysis of children with eczema at 1 year of age, a higher concentration of fecal valeric acid was linked with reduced risk of their eczema remaining at 13 years of age (OR 0.2, 95% CI: 0.0-1.5), although this latter analysis did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.12). Conclusions: Our findings lend further support to the notion of early childhood as a critical period when allergy may be programmed via the gut microbiota. Higher levels of fecal valeric acid may be characteristic of a protective gut microbiota and/or actively contribute to protection from eczema and food allergy.

Allergy

Eczema

Short-chain fatty acids

Food allergy

Childhood

Author

Monica Gio-Batta

University of Gothenburg

Karin Spetz

Umeå University

Malin Barman

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Karolinska Institutet

Lennart Bråbäck

Umeå University

Elisabeth Norin

Karolinska Institutet

Bengt Björkstén

Karolinska Institutet

Agnes E Wold

University of Gothenburg

Anna Sandin

Umeå University

International Archives of Allergy and Immunology

1018-2438 (ISSN) 1423-0097 (eISSN)

Vol. 183 4 398-408

Subject Categories

Dermatology and Venereal Diseases

Pediatrics

Nutrition and Dietetics

DOI

10.1159/000520149

PubMed

34839288

More information

Latest update

6/13/2022