ASTHMA AND ALLERGIC RHINITIS IN ADOPTEES AND THEIR ADOPTIVE PARENTS

Background: Since the highest risk for the development of atopic disea se is in early Life, environmental risk factors need to be separated f rom the genetic component in this high risk period. Adoptees removed a t birth and placed in adoptive families present a way to separate envi ronmental and genetic factors at this early susceptible age. Method: A n opportunity for a pilot study of asthma and allergic rhinitis in ado ptive families was presented when a psychiatrist (RC) was planning a b ehavioral study of young adult adoptees and their adoptive parents. A detailed questionnaire about allergic rhinitis and asthma was added af ter the psychiatrists' interview. Placement was not influenced by a hi story of allergy in adoptive or natural parents. The adoptee and at le ast one adoptive parent completed questionnaires in 367 families. The adoptees had been removed at birth and placed in the adoptive family w ithin 3 months (83% within 1 month). Results: Compared with adoptive f amilies without asthma or allergic rhinitis, an adoptive mother with a sthma or rhinitis, when the adoptive father was not affected, increase d the risk for asthma in the adoptee (OR = 3.2, P < .0005). Asthma in the adoptive mother alone (OR = 3.2, P < .005) and allergic rhinitis a lone (OR = 3.4, P < .005) increased the risk for asthma in the adoptee . Adoptive father asthma or allergic rhinitis showed a trend toward in creased asthma in the adoptee (OR = 1.9, P < .1). Conclusion: This sho uld be considered a pilot or feasibility study since subjects could no t be examined or tested. Finding a risk for atopic respiratory disease or asthma associated with adoption by parents with asthma or allergic rhinitis suggests that further well planned adoptee studies should be made.