title: Indoor factors and behavioural problems in children: the GINIplus and LISAplus birth cohort studies.
abstract: Indoor microbial agents exposure is associated to depressive symptoms in adults and persistent exposure to indoor mould is associated to poorer cognitive function in children. In our study, we aimed to assess the effects of the exposure to indoor factors associated with increased microbial exposure (mould, dampness and pets) on behavioural problems in children aged 10 years, participating in two German birth cohorts. A total of 4860 children were followed until the age of 10 years, and the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) was administered to the parents. Indoor factors were assessed through parental reported questionnaires in periodical surveys. Logistic and multinomial regressions adjusting for potential confounders were performed. Prevalences of borderline/abnormal total scores in the SDQ at 10 years of age were higher in children exposed to mould (aOR=1.23, 95%CI=1.00-1.56), dampness (aOR=1.51, 95%CI=1.10-2.07), and pets (aOR=1.48, 95%CI=1.20-1.94). The dimension "emotional symptoms" showed statistically significant risk estimates for mould and pets, meanwhile "conduct problems" and "hyperactivity/inattention" dimensions only did for pets. No significant associations were found for the "peer relationship problems" dimension. We found a significant strong interaction between dampness and pet, the risk of borderline/abnormal scores in the "total difficulties" scale and the "emotional symptoms" dimension for pets' was at least twice the risk in children with reported dampness than in children without. Our findings point to a potential effect of microbial exposure on children's behavioural problems, especially on emotional disorders, probably mediated through neurotoxicity and immune system activation.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, Spain.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Casas
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tiesler
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiering
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brüske
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koletzko
authors.forename: Carl-Peter
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: H-Erich
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Wichmann
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: von Berg
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berdel
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Krämer
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schaaf
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Olf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Herbarth
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sunyer
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinrich
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D057805:Pets; D012307:Risk Factors