The effect of perinatal anxiety on bronchiolitis is influenced by polymorphisms in ROS-related genes.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Exposure to perinatal anxiety affects disease susceptibility in

offspring but studies on the association between perinatal anxiety and gene

polymorphisms are lacking. This study aimed to elucidate the interaction between

perinatal anxiety and polymorphisms in antioxidant defense and innate immunity

genes on the development of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) during early

infancy. METHODS: Trait anxiety levels in 440 women were assessed by the

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory during late gestation. The occurrence of RTIs,

including bronchiolitis, during the first year of life was assessed by

parent-reported doctor diagnosis. Polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferase P-1

(GSTP1, rs1695) and CD14 (rs2569190) were genotyped using the TaqMan assay. Copy

number variations of GSTT1 were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS: Exposure to high levels of perinatal anxiety increased the risk of

bronchiolitis in the first year of life (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.30; 95%

confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-1.80), in particular among children with the AG +

GG genotype of GSTP1 or the GSTT1 null genotype (aOR 3.36 and 2.79). In infants

with the TC + CC genotype of CD14, high levels of perinatal anxiety were

associated with an increased risk of upper RTI, lower RTI, and bronchiolitis (aOR

2.51, 4.60, and 4.31, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Perinatal maternal anxiety

levels affect the occurrence of bronchiolitis in offspring. The effect of

perinatal anxiety on the occurrence of bronchiolitis during infancy was

influenced by genetic polymorphisms in antioxidant defense and innate immunity

genes.