title: [Environmental factors for asthma severity and allergy: results from the EGEA study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  EGEA (Epidemiological study on the genetics and environment of asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and atopy), a case control and family study including 2048 individuals, was initiated to look for environmental and genetic risk factors for asthma. A synthesis of the results obtained since 2002 on phenotypic and environmental aspects of asthma severity and allergy are presented in this article.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results support a role for hormonal factors in asthma severity and in various allergic markers of asthma. A greater body mass index was related to a more severe asthma in women with early menarche. Associations between markers of allergy (eosinophils, IgE and atopy) and hormonal dependent events in women (premenstrual asthma, menopause and oral contraceptive use) have been found. In asthmatics, exposure to agents known to be associated with occupational asthma, active and passive smoking were associated with an increased clinical asthma severity score. The study underlines the protective role of country living and exposure to pets in early life on allergy markers in adulthood, supporting the hygiene hypothesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New hypothesis will be tested in the near future from the second stage of this survey.
authors.affiliation: Inserm, U823, Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble, France. valerie.siroux@ujf-grenoble.fr
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Siroux
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Oryszczyn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Varraso
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Le Moual
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bousquet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Charpin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gormand
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maccario
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pison
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rage
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scheinmann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vervloet
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kauffmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects; D004777:Environment; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D007073:Immunoglobulin E