OBJECTIVES: To study new onset of adult asthma in relation to dampness and moulds in dwelling places. METHODS: Totally, 7104 young adults from 13 countries who participated in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS I and II) who did not report respiratory symptoms or asthma at baseline were followed prospectively for 9 years. Asthma was assessed by questionnaire data on asthmatic symptoms and a positive metacholine challenge test at follow-up. Data on the current dwelling was collected at the beginning and at the end of the follow-up period by means of an interviewer-led questionnaire, and by inspection. Relative risks (RR) for new onset asthma were calculated with log-binomial models adjusted for age, sex, smoking and study centre. RESULTS: There was an excess of new asthma in subjects in homes with reports on water damage (RR 1.46; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.94) and indoor moulds (RR=1.30; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.68) at baseline. A dose-response effect was observed. The effect was stronger in those with multisensitisation and in those sensitised to moulds. Observed damp spots were related to new asthma (RR=1.49; 95% CI 1.00 to 2.22). The population-attributable risk was 3-10% for reported, and 3-14% for observed dampness/moulds. CONCLUSIONS: Dampness and mould are common in dwellings, and contribute to asthma incidence in adults.
OBJECTIVES: To study new onset of adult asthma in relation to dampness and moulds in dwelling places. METHODS: Totally, 7104 young adults from 13 countries who participated in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS I and II) who did not report respiratory symptoms or asthma at baseline were followed prospectively for 9 years. Asthma was assessed by questionnaire data on asthmatic symptoms and a positive metacholine challenge test at follow-up. Data on the current dwelling was collected at the beginning and at the end of the follow-up period by means of an interviewer-led questionnaire, and by inspection. Relative risks (RR) for new onset asthma were calculated with log-binomial models adjusted for age, sex, smoking and study centre. RESULTS: There was an excess of new asthma in subjects in homes with reports on water damage (RR 1.46; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.94) and indoor moulds (RR=1.30; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.68) at baseline. A dose-response effect was observed. The effect was stronger in those with multisensitisation and in those sensitised to moulds. Observed damp spots were related to new asthma (RR=1.49; 95% CI 1.00 to 2.22). The population-attributable risk was 3-10% for reported, and 3-14% for observed dampness/moulds. CONCLUSIONS: Dampness and mould are common in dwellings, and contribute to asthma incidence in adults.
Authors: Stephen Vesper; Thomas Robins; Toby Lewis; Kevin Dombkowski; Larry Wymer; Rebeca Villegas; Stuart Batterman Journal: J Asthma Date: 2016-07-19 Impact factor: 2.515
Authors: Christina Tischer; Jan-Paul Zock; Maria Valkonen; Gert Doekes; Stefano Guerra; Dick Heederik; Deborah Jarvis; Dan Norbäck; Mario Olivieri; Jordi Sunyer; Cecilie Svanes; Martin Täubel; Elisabeth Thiering; Giuseppe Verlato; Anne Hyvärinen; Joachim Heinrich Journal: BMC Pulm Med Date: 2015-05-02 Impact factor: 3.317
Authors: Samantha Eiffert; Yomi Noibi; Stephen Vesper; Jonathan Downs; Florence Fulk; Juanita Wallace; Melanie Pearson; Andrea Winquist Journal: J Environ Public Health Date: 2016-11-24