Relationship between exposure to dust mite allergen and bronchial response to exercise in schoolchildren sensitized to dust mites.
We assessed the relationship between the exposure to dust mite allergens and a bronchial response to exercise in 8-year-old schoolchildren. Dust was collected from the mattresses of 1,291 children and the concentration of mite allergens was estimated by a commercially available ELISA test using monoclonal antibodies (ALK, Copenhagen) against the major allergens of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der pt) and Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f). A positive bronchial response to exercise (decrease of peak expiratory flow > or = 15% after exercise) occurred in 21 (22.6%) of 101 children sensitized to mite allergens (wheal size > or = 4 mm) and in 51 (4.8%) of 1,070 nonsensitized children. In the highest exposure groups (> 10 micrograms allergen/g dust), 15% of children sensitized to Der f and 20% of children sensitized to Der pt were responsive to exercise. Corresponding figures for the lowest exposure groups (< 0.4 micrograms allergen/g dust) were 11 and 28%, respectively. This negative finding may indicate that measurement of allergen concentration in mattresses does not reflect true exposure or alternatively that at the age of 8 years high exposure to dust mite allergens does not affect bronchial response to exercise in sensitized children.
Frischer
T H
TH
University Children's Hospital, Freiburg, Germany.
Kuehr
J
J
Meinert
R
R
Karmaus
W
W
Urbanek
R
R
D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008925:Mites; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust