[Study on the relations between concentration of endotoxin in dwelling and atopic asthma in school-age children].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of endotoxin concentration in dwellings on the prevalence of atopic asthma in children.


METHODS
Standardized questionnaires of asthma were distributed to the parents of 2986 school children aged between 8 and 12 years and endotoxin content in children's mattress was measured by a kinetic limulus assay. A radioallergosorbent technique--fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (RAST-FEIA) was used to measure the level of specific IgE in serum.


RESULTS
Complete data was available for 904 children with males more than females. There were both negative associations seen between endotoxin levels and both atopic asthma (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32-0.72, P < 0.05) and atopic sensitization (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.49-0.94, P < 0.05) but not with non-atopic asthma and wheeze. Comparing with normal people, patients with atopic sensitization, atopic wheeze and atopic asthma had a higher levels of endotoxin (M-W U: 15 138.0, P < 0.01, M-W U: 4858.0, P < 0.01, M-W U: 4041.0, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to endotoxin in early lives of children might have a protective effect on atopic asthma and sensitization.
Hu
Dong
D
School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China.
Zhang
Rong-bo
RB
Wu
Jing
J
D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D012135:Respiratory Sounds
D004731:Endotoxins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E