title: Early-life indoor environmental exposures increase the risk of childhood asthma.
abstract: We aim to explore the relationships between exposure to dampness, pets, and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) early in life and asthma in Taiwanese children, and to discuss their links to early- and late-onset asthma. We conducted a 1:2 matched case-control study from the Taiwan Children Health Study, which was a nationwide study that recruited 12-to-14 year-old school children in 14 communities. The 579 mothers of the participants were interviewed by telephone about their children's environmental exposures before they were 5 years old, including the in-utero period. Childhood asthma was associated with exposure to early life environmental factors, such as cockroaches (OR=2.16; 95% CI, 1.15-4.07), visible mould (OR=1.75; 95% CI, 1.15-2.67), mildewy odors (OR=5.04; 95% CI, 2.42-10.50), carpet (OR=2.36; 95% CI, 1.38-4.05), pets (OR=2.11; 95% CI, 1.20-3.72), and more than one hour of ETS per day (OR=1.93; 95% CI, 1.16-3.23). The ORs for mildewy odors, feather pillows, and ETS during early childhood were greater among children with late-onset asthma. Cockroaches, carpet, pets, and in-utero exposures to ETS affected the timing of early-onset asthma. Exposure to these factors led to dose-responsiveness in the risk of asthma. And the earlier exposures may trigger the earlier onset. Interventions in avoiding these environmental exposures are necessary for early-prevention of childhood asthma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, 17 Xuzhou Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yang-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ching-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Yungling Leo
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D001512:Bedding and Linens / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003058:Cockroaches; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005241:Feathers; D005260:Female; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D005658:Fungi; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D016017:Odds Ratio; D057805:Pets; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution