title: Medication requirements and house dust mite exposure in mite-sensitive asthmatics.
abstract: To better understand the clinical consequences of exposure to house dust mites (HDM), we investigated the relationship between treatment requirements to control symptoms in mite-allergic asthmatic patients and HDM-allergenic levels in their mattresses. This study included 49 asthmatic subjects recruited from an outpatient clinic. The protocol consisted of a questionnaire about the number of asthma attacks and treatment requirements in the last 3 months. Patients provided a sample of house dust collected from their mattresses by a standardized vacuum cleaning procedure. Mean antigen P1 equivalent defined as the sum of major allergens Der pI and Der fI (Ag P1 Eq) level was 1.34 micrograms/g dust in patients who had no treatment, 5.4 micrograms/g dust in patients who took puffs of beta 2-agonists only when required and 17.8 micrograms/g dust in patients who required daily long-term treatment. Similar relationships were demonstrated between mean Ag P1 Eq levels and the number of asthma attacks. These data support the clinical role of allergenic exposure in HDM-allergic asthmatics.
authors.affiliation: Département des Maladies Respiratoires, Hôpital Sainte-Marguerite, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vervloet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Charpin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haddi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: N'guyen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Birnbaum
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Van der Brempt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D001513:Beds; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000941:Antigens; D004391:Dust