Housing and allergens: a pooled analysis of nine US studies.
BACKGROUND
Housing conditions can contribute to allergen exposures that are linked to asthma, but little is known about which of those conditions are most likely to predict high levels of allergens in settled house dust.


METHODS
We pooled allergen, housing condition, occupant behavior, demographic, and other data from nine asthma studies (n=950 homes in 6 US cities). Dust mite (Der f 1 or Der p 1), cockroach (Bla g 1 or Bla g 2), mouse (Mus m 1), cat (Fel d 1) and dog (Can f 1) allergens were measured in settled dust from kitchens or bedrooms, and concentrations were categorized according to previously published asthma symptom thresholds. We calculated odds ratios (OR) using logistic regression to identify those housing conditions and occupant behaviors that were associated with clinically significant allergen levels, after adjusting for numerous confounding variables.


RESULTS
The adjusted results show that high cockroach allergen was associated with cracks or holes in walls (OR=2.1), high dust mite allergen was associated with mold odor (OR=2.5), housing built before 1951 (OR=2.1), and single-family home with slab on grade (OR=1.9); and mouse allergen was associated with rodent control or signs of rodents (OR=3.62) and inversely associated with presence of a cat (OR=0.20). Water leaks and below average housekeeping had unadjusted high odds ratios for high cockroach allergen.


CONCLUSIONS
We have identified a number of housing conditions that are consistently associated with increased allergen dust concentrations. This study indicates that screening for housing-based asthma triggers should include presence of cats, dogs, cockroaches, or rodents; water leaks; mold or mold odor; holes or cracks in walls; and below average housekeeping. Single family houses that have basements or crawl spaces or are built before 1951 are also important predictors for increased allergens in housing.
Wilson
Jonathan
J
National Center for Healthy Housing, 10320 Little Patuxent Pkway, Suite 500, Columbia, MD 21044, USA.
Dixon
Sherry L
SL
Breysse
Patrick
P
Jacobs
David
D
Adamkiewicz
Gary
G
Chew
Ginger L
GL
Dearborn
Dorr
D
Krieger
James
J
Sandel
Megan
M
Spanier
Adam
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004285:Dogs; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D051379:Mice; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust