PhD defence by Trine Mølbæk-Engbjerg

Risk-behaviours, non-atopic comorbidities, and inflammatory biomarkers of adolescents with asthma

Assessment Committee:
Professor Kim G. Nielsen, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen (Chairperson)
Dr Signe Vahlkvist, University of Southern Denmark, SDU
Professor Ingvild Bruun Mikalsen, University of Bergen

Supervisors:
Clinical Professor Bo Lund Krogsgaard Chawes
Professor Morten Arendt Rasmussen
Clinical Professor Klaus Bønnelykke

Professor Susanne Brix Pedersen

Department:
Department of Clinical Medicine

Graduate Programme:
Life Cycle in Medicine

Place:
Opgang 10A, Room: Gentofte Hospital, Lille auditorium, Gentofte Hospitalsvej, 2820 Gentofte

Email address to gain access to the thesis: trinemoelbaek@hotmail.com 
You will either receive a copy of the thesis or be informed where you can read a physical copy.

Short description of the thesis:
Asthma is an inflammatory disease and is the most common chronic disease in childhood, representing a burden on affected families and society. Living with asthma may also increase the risk of other health conditions, and a connection between depression and anxiety, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders, has been identified. It is unclear why these associations are observed, but one hypothesis is that asthma and other non-communicable diseases share genetic and environmental risk factors, leading to low-grade systemic inflammation that drives these diseases.
In this PhD thesis, we investigate associations between asthma, risk behaviours, and non-atopic comorbidity. Furthermore, we explore associations between systemic inflammatory biomarkers collected through childhood and adolescence and asthma at 18 years.