Some of the UK's leading asthma researchers join forces this month in a co-ordinated attempt to investigate the causes of Britain's most common long-term childhood condition.
The newly-formed Study Team for Early Life Asthma Research (STELAR) network draws together scientists from Bristol, London, Manchester, Aberdeen, Southampton, Ashford and the Isle of Wight.
Asthma UK are now funding the first STELAR project with £124 thousand grant over three years to Dr John Henderson from the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol.
Philippa Major, Assistant Director, Research at Asthma UK said:
“Asthma is a complex condition that often starts in childhood, brought on by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
There appears to be increasing evidence suggesting that certain events, which happen to the baby in the womb or soon after birth will often determine whether that child will go on to develop asthma.
“Because of this Asthma UK has decided to prioritise research on the influence of early life events in the development of asthma.”
Research is complex because there are so many variations of asthma, and because there are so many potential causes – such as the mother's diet, use of some medications, or type of housing, each acting together. This new study will help identify how the development of asthma in early life can be prevented.
Dr Henderson said: “One of the best ways of understanding a complex condition like asthma is to follow a group of children for many years to investigate what they are exposed to, which of them develop asthma and what type of asthma they have.
“Asthma UK has funded a number of these birth cohort studies, which have already provided evidence of different possible mechanisms for the onset of asthma. This network aims to build on that research by bringing together the UK groups that have studied birth cohorts in a unique collaboration.”
The project's first step will be to set up an Asthma Phenobank - a new system for classifying variations in asthma according to onset and history. The phenobank will be based on the experiences of 14 thousand families who have been taking part in the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol.
Scientists will then study these variations in asthma, looking for common events and, they hope, throwing up new theories, which can then be examined in more detail with the help of the other birth cohorts.
The range of exposures that will be examined include:
- Prenatal factors maternal health, nutrition during pregnancy, drugs taken during pregnancy, mother's smoking history;
- Perinatal factors such as gestation, birth weight, neonatal problems, feeding history;
- Early childhood exposures (home environment – damp, moulds, crowding, environmental tobacco smoke, socioeconomic conditions, childhood nutrition, pet ownership, place of residence)
Information is also available on other health outcomes, including symptoms in early childhood, features of other allergic disorders, visits to GPs and /hospital and medication use.
Dr Henderson added: 'Asthma is a complex disease and it is likely that a large number of genes are involved, but the observed rise in asthma over the last few decades in many westernised countries can't be explained by genetic changes in the population'.
'A great deal of research interest has focused on the search for environmental exposures that are associated with the development of asthma but, despite this activity, the emergence of a single modifiable factor that is likely to have a major impact on asthma prevalence has yet to occur'.
'To disentangle all the complexities requires access to a detailed source of information on asthma patients built up over a number of years, and including a diverse range of environmental factors, preferably commenced before birth. We need enough people taking part to allow us to analyse all the significant interactions. This proposal provides these possibilities.'
Notes to editors:
1. The Study Team for Early Life Asthma Research (STELAR) is led by
- Dr John Henderson, University of Bristol
- Dr Seif Shaheen, King's College, London
- Professor David Strachan, St George's Hospital Medical School
- Professor Ashley Woodcock, University of Manchester
- Dr Angela Simpson, University of Manchester
The cohorts taking part are:
- Manchester Asthma and Allergy Study (MAAS): Professor A Woodcock, Professor A Custovic, Dr A Simpson
- Aberdeen birth cohort: Dr G Devereux, Professor PJ Helms
- Children's follow-up of Southampton Women's Survey:Professor J Warner
- Isle of Wight birth cohort: Dr SH Arshad
- Asthma in Ashford study: Dr P Cullinan
- Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC): Dr J Henderson, Professor J Golding
2. ALSPAC The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (also known as Children of the 90s) is a unique ongoing research project based in the University of Bristol. It enrolled 14,000 mothers during pregnancy in 1991-2 and has followed most of the children and parents in minute detail ever since.
3. The ALSPAC study could not have been undertaken without the continuing financial support of the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, and the University of Bristol among many others.
4. Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.1 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by asthma. We work together with people with asthma, health professionals and researchers to develop and share expertise to help people increase their understanding and reduce the effect of asthma on their lives.
5. For independent and confidential advice on asthma, call the Asthma UK Adviceline, which is staffed by asthma nurse specialists. It is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm on 08457 01 02 03. Or email an asthma nurse at asthma.org.uk/adviceline.
Notes
- ALSPAC The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (also known as Children of the 90s) is a unique ongoing research project based in the University of Bristol. It enrolled 14,000 mothers during pregnancy in 1991-2 and has followed most of the children and parents in minute detail ever since.
- The ALSPAC study could not have been undertaken without the continuing financial support of the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, and the University of Bristol among many others.