title: Traffic pollution is associated with early childhood aeroallergen sensitization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No large, prospective, epidemiologic study has investigated the association between diesel exhaust particle (DEP) exposure and early aeroallergen sensitization and allergic rhinitis (AR) at 4 years of age.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine how exposure to traffic exhaust during infancy is associated with aeroallergen sensitization and AR at 4 years of age and the predictive utility of the wheal area at 1 to 3 years of age on AR at 4 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infants born to aeroallergen sensitized parents were evaluated annually with skin prick tests to 15 aeroallergens with measurement of wheal areas. At 4 years of age, AR was defined as at least one positive aeroallergen skin prick test result and the presence of sneezing and a runny nose without a cold or flu. Infant (DEP) exposure was estimated using data from 27 air sampling monitors and a land use regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete data were available for 634 children at 4 years of age. Prevalence of AR increased annually from 6.9% to 21.9%. A positive trend was observed for high DEP exposure and aeroallergen sensitization at 2 and 3 years of age (odds ratio, 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.97-2.0) and (odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.98-1.85) but not with AR. At 2 years of age, every 1-mm(2) increase in the wheal area of timothy and Alternaria significantly increased the odds of AR at 4 years of age. At 3 years of age, every 1-mm(2) increase in the wheal area of fescue, dog, and Penicillium significantly increased the odds of AR at 4 years of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DEP exposure enhances the risk of early aeroallergen sensitization. Aeroallergen wheal area at 2 and 3 years of age is associated with AR at 4 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunology/Allergy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio; Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio; Division of Immunology, Microbiology, and Allergy, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois. Electronic address: Christopher_d_Codispoti@rush.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Codispoti
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Grace K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: LeMasters
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reponen
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Patrick H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Jocelyn M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Biagini Myers
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunology/Allergy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villareal
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burkle
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunology/Allergy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lockey
authors.affiliation: Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Gurjit K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Khurana Hershey
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunology/Allergy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Bernstein
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000528:Alternaria / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010407:Penicillium / Q000276:immunology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens; D001335:Vehicle Emissions