Abstract • 71

Background. Several studies have shown the role of genetic factors in allergies, and ascertained that atopic diseases are transmitted by parents, especially by mothers. In order to explore the genetic risk of a child with a family history (FH) of allergy, we have enrolled into this prospective study 300 children, 173 males and 127 females, aged 3.5 to 7.5 years (median age 4.4 years), that included: familiar and personal history. We have elsewhere detailed the clinical characteristics of these children, who attended the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Division of the Pediatric Dept of Rome University. Methods. We have studied the FH of 279 children asking whether their parents and brothers/sisters had atopic diseases, and detailing whether such diseases were respiratory or food allergies. Results. One hundred and twenty-seven parents were atopic (22,76%), 51 fathers, 76 mothers, in addition to 36 brothers/sisters. Further, 90,2% of fathers had respiratory allergy, 81,6% of mothers and 91,7% of brothers/sisters. In particular, 41,2% of fathers, 40,8% of mothers, 72,2% of brothers/sisters had asthma. The figures for allergic rhinitis were 49, 40,8 and 19,4%, respectively. In addition, 9,8% of fathers and 6,6% of mothers had urticaria, 3,9% of mothers and 8,3% of brothers/sisters atopic dermatitis, and 3,9% of mothers cow milk allergy. Conclusion. We do not confirm that a relevant part of respiratory allergy is transmitted by mothers: our prospective study stresses that 22,76% of parents are atopic, and FH of this group of children was positive for respiratory allergy in 82-92% of cases. The impact of genetic factors in these children is emphasized by the high proportion (72,2%) of asthmatic brothers/sisters.