Study of IgE Autoantibodies at Birth and Their Role in Developing Atopic Dermatitis in Newborns at High Risk

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how specific self-reactive antibodies called IgE autoantibodies develop in newborns, especially those at high risk for atopic dermatitis AD due to family history of asthma, hay fever, or eczema. This study aims to understand when these antibodies appear, how hereditary, lifestyle, and environmental factors influence their development, and their connection to the onset of AD during the first two years of life. The study follows a group of newborns born at the University Hospital Brussels, including 400 at high risk and 100 at low risk for AD. Researchers will collect umbilical cord blood at birth and conduct blood draws at 6, 12, and 24 months. Skin barrier function will be evaluated using non-invasive tests, and samples such as skin and stool swabs will be taken to study microbes. Questionnaires will gather environmental and lifestyle information, and disease scores will be assessed at follow-up visits. Participants will have five visits over two years a prenatal baseline visit, birth visit within 72 hours, and follow-ups at 6, 12, and 24 months. The main measurement is the presence of IgE autoantibodies at birth. Researchers will monitor the development of AD, measure IgE levels, study hereditary influences through parental blood samples, and characterize infant immune cells. This comprehensive monitoring aims to reveal factors affecting antibody development and their role in AD risk.

Birth Cohort: Development of IgE Autoantibodies in Newborns With (High Risk of) Atopic Dermatitis