title: Domestic airborne pollutants and asthma and respiratory symptoms in middle age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of indoor air pollution as a risk factor for asthma and respiratory symptoms in middle age is unclear. We investigated associations between indoor air pollution sources and (i) asthma phenotypes and (ii) asthma-related respiratory symptoms in middle-aged adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects (n = 5729) who participated in the 2004 survey of the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study completed respiratory and home environment questionnaires. Associations between indoor air pollution sources, and asthma phenotypes and asthma-related respiratory symptoms were estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent mould in the home was associated with current asthma (odds ratio (OR) 1.26; 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.50), wheeze (OR 1.34; 1.17-1.54) and nocturnal chest tightness (OR 1.30; 1.12-1.51). Stratified by atopy and gender, recent mould was associated with current non-atopic asthma only in males (OR 3.73; 1.29-10.80). More rooms affected by mould were associated with significant trends for current asthma, wheeze and nocturnal chest tightness. Home environmental tobacco smoke was associated with doctor-diagnosed asthma (OR 1.25; 1.02-1.53), wheeze (OR 1.69; 1.41-2.03), nocturnal chest tightness (OR 1.54; 1.26-1.88), with current asthma only in non-smokers (OR 2.09; 95%: 1.30-3.35) and with current asthma only in males (OR 1.74; 95%: 1.25-2.42). Among heating appliances, reverse cycle air conditioning was negatively associated with doctor-diagnosed asthma (OR 0.84; 0.70-1.00). Neither electric nor gas stove use was associated with either asthma phenotype or with asthma-related respiratory symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In middle age, reducing home exposure to mould and environmental tobacco smoke might reduce asthma and asthma-related respiratory symptoms.
authors: Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
authors: Desiree
authors: D
authors: Mészáros
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Burgess
authors: E Haydn
authors: EH
authors: Walters
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Johns
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Markos
authors: Graham
authors: G
authors: Giles
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Hopper
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Abramson
authors: Shyamali C
authors: SC
authors: Dharmage
authors: Melanie
authors: M
authors: Matheson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: asthma; cohort study; environmental tobacco smoke; mould; risk factor