About the Authors

Carolina Moltó-Puigmartí

Carolina.molto@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Eugène Jansen

Affiliation National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Center for Health Protection, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

Joachim Heinrich

Affiliation Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology I, Neuherberg, Germany

Marie Standl

Affiliations Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology I, Neuherberg, Germany, Institute of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

Ronald P. Mensink

Affiliation Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Jogchum Plat

Affiliation Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

John Penders

Affiliations Department of Epidemiology, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Microbiology, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Monique Mommers

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Gerard H. Koppelman

Affiliation Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergology, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

Dirkje S. Postma

Affiliation Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Tuberculosis, GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

Carel Thijs

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Competing Interests

The authors have read the journal’s policy and have the following conflicts: The University of Groningen has received an unrestricted educational grant for research from AstraZeneca, Chiesi, GSK, performed by the group of Prof Postma. Travel to ERS and/or ATS has been partially funded to the University of Groiningen by AstraZeneca, Chiesi, GSK, Nycomed. Fees for consultancies were given to the University of Groningen by AZ, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GSK, Nycomed and TEVA. In addition, the authors’ confirm that this does not alter their adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Designed KOALA Study, follow-up, data collection, data cleaning: J. Penders MM CT. Conceived the study: CMP CT. Plasma lipid measurements: EJ. Designed DNA collection, DNA processing: GHK DSP. Genotyping: JH MS. Developed statistical analysis plan: CMP CT. Interpreted the findings: CMP CT. Revised the data analysis and interpreted of the data, critically revised the manuscript for intellectual content, and read and approved the final manuscript: CMP EJ JH MS RPM J. Plat J. Penders MM GHK DSP CT. Analyzed the data: CMP. Wrote the paper: CMP.