Asthma, mite sensitization, and sleeping in bunks.
BACKGROUND
Mattresses and bedding are the main reservoirs of house dust mites.


OBJECTIVE
Subjects sleeping in the bottom bunk may be exposed to house dust particles detached from bedding of the top bunk. Our aim was to ascertain whether this exposure could influence the development of mite sensitization and/or allergic symptoms in these individuals.


METHODS
Symptoms of allergic respiratory disease were recorded and mite skin tests performed in 94 consecutive bunk-sleeping subjects (47 pairs of siblings) from an outpatient allergy clinic. Levels of Der p I, Der f I, and Der II were determined by enzyme-immunoassay in 16 randomly selected bedding dust samples (8 pairs of bunks).


RESULTS
Mite sensitization rate and prevalence of allergic respiratory disease were similar for the top-bed and bottom-bed groups, whereas prevalence of asthma was significantly higher in the latter. Mite sensitization was significantly associated with family atopy background, whereas other factors such as house pets, indoor smoke exposure or types of mattress or bunks were not. Der p I levels higher than 2 microg/g dust were found in 12 of the 16 mattresses and the median of the 8-bed-bottom group was over 10 microg/g.


CONCLUSIONS
Sleeping in bunks constitutes a greater risk of developing asthma for subjects sleeping in the bottom bed. Bunk sleeping should be discouraged in families with an atopic background and sensitized subjects should use the top bed.
Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari de Tarragona Joan XXIII, Spain.
P
P
Gaig
E
E
Enrique
P
P
García-Ortega
M
M
Olona
M
M
del Mar San Miguel
C
C
Richart
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects; D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D001513:Beds; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*
D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust