Figure 1
Adjusted effects of immune markers in maternal serum and in breast milk whey on asthma-like symptoms at ages 6 and 12 months: a repeated measurement analysis. * Immune markers (except for IL-5 in whey and IgA in serum) were categorized into quartiles using the first quartile (lowest values) as reference. IL-5 in whey and IgA in serum were dichotomized. The risk ratios represent the highest level of the immune marker (4th quartile) compared to the lowest level. IL-5, IL-13, CXCL10, IgA, and TGF-β1 serum and whey were adjusted for child’s sex, maternal age during pregnancy, maternal race, smoking during pregnancy, vaginal infections during pregnancy, maternal history of asthma, eczema, and rhinitis, consumption of antibiotics during pregnancy, season of child’s birth, any respiratory infection during infancy, and household cigarette use at ages 6 and 12 months. † Gestational age, maternal education, pet exposure, preconception maternal body mass index, and mode of delivery were removed from the models because they were not confounding.