title: Cockroach allergen levels and associations with cockroach-specific IgE.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Among inner-city children with asthma, cockroach allergen exposure has been associated with allergic sensitization.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We hypothesized that cockroach allergen levels in homes would be associated with sensitization to cockroach allergens in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  From a low-income preschool program, 341 four-year-old children selected on the basis of the willingness of their caregivers to participate in the study were enrolled. Dust from their beds and kitchens were analyzed for cockroach (Bla g 2), mouse (mouse urinary proteins), and cat allergens (Fel d 1). Serum samples were analyzed for allergen-specific IgE antibodies by immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bla g 2 levels >1 U/g in children's bed and kitchen dust samples were independently associated with cockroach-specific IgE (odds ratio [OR], 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.4; and OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2-9.4, respectively), adjusting for sex, ethnicity, asthma, pet ownership, mother's allergic sensitization, environmental tobacco smoke, and having lived in other homes. Bla g 2 was associated (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.0-13.1) with cockroach-specific IgE among children with asthma. Among children without asthma, the ORs were similar (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 0.9-10.3), but the association was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concentrations of the major cockroach allergen, Bla g 2, in settled dust were associated with cockroach-specific IgE independent of other factors in a cohort of 4-year-old inner-city children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. cg288@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Ginger L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Perzanowski
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Canfield
authors.forename: Inge F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mellins
authors.forename: Lori A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hoepner
authors.forename: Maxine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashby-Thompson
authors.forename: Judith S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jacobson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D001513:Beds; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000276:immunology*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D011204:Poverty Areas; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C094699:allergen Bla g 2