Diphtheria tetanus pertussis poliomyelitis vaccination and reported atopic disorders in 8-12-year-old children

Background: Evidence for the relationship between the diphtheria tetanus pertussis (DTP) vaccination and atopic disorders is inconclusive, because the available studies that constitute the evidence are liable to confounding by indication. Study objective: To assess the relationship between diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-(inactivated) poliomyelitis vaccination (DTP-IPV) in the first year of life and reported atopic disorders at primary school age. Method: 1875 children attending Orthodox Reformed (Protestant) primary schools in the Netherlands returned questionnaires with data on vaccination status, atopic symptoms and lifetime atopic disorders (asthma, hay fever, eczema and food allergy), and possible confounders. Results: The adjusted odds ratio of any atopic disorder (vaccinated/unvaccinated) was 1.00 (CI95% : 0.80-1.24). For asthma, hay fever, eczema and food allergy the results were respectively: 1.04 (CI95%: 0.76-1.42), 0.79 (CI95%: 0.55-1.12), 0.87 (CI95%: 0.66-1.14) and 1.13 (CI95% 0.71-1.81). Conclusion: The DTP-IPV vaccination was not related to reported atopic disorders at primary school age. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.