Cesarean section and maternal atopy increase the risk of allergic rhinitis in offspring: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the interaction between cesarean section (CS) and maternal history of allergic diseases (MHAD) in influencing the risk of allergic rhinitis in the offspring.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted with a 1:1 frequency matching by sex. A total of 239 children diagnosed with AR were enrolled in the case group, and 239 children without a history of AR served as the control group. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between maternal CS, MHAD, and the risk of AR in offspring. Interaction effects were evaluated using both the multiplicative and additive models.

RESULTS

The CS (50.7%) and MHAD (36.8%) rates in the case group were significantly higher than those in the control group (35.1% and 27.6%, respectively). Logistic regression analysis revealed that maternal CS (OR = 1.916, 95%CI:1.322-2.778, P < 0.001) and MHAD (OR = 1.585, 95%CI:1.071-2.344, P = 0.021) were independent risk factors for AR in offspring. Furthermore, a significant multiplicative interaction was observed between maternal CS and MHAD (OR = 3.472, 95% CI:1.497-8.053, P = 0.004), with the combined effect increasing the risk by 5.619 times.

CONCLUSION

Maternal CS and MHAD synergistically increase the risk of AR in children. These findings underscore the importance of considering both maternal CS and MHAD when developing public health strategies and preventive interventions to reduce the incidence of AR in the offspring.