title: Moisture damage and asthma: a birth cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Excess moisture and visible mold are associated with increased risk of asthma. Only a few studies have performed detailed home visits to characterize the extent and location of moisture damage and mold growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured home inspections were performed in a birth cohort study when the children were 5 months old (on average). Children (N = 398) were followed up to the age of 6 years. Specific immunoglobulin E concentrations were determined at 6 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Moisture damage and mold at an early age in the child's main living areas (but not in bathrooms or other interior spaces) were associated with the risk of developing physician-diagnosed asthma ever, persistent asthma, and respiratory symptoms during the first 6 years. Associations with asthma ever were strongest for moisture damage with visible mold in the child's bedroom (adjusted odds ratio: 4.82 [95% confidence interval: 1.29-18.02]) and in the living room (adjusted odds ratio: 7.51 [95% confidence interval: 1.49-37.83]). Associations with asthma ever were stronger in the earlier part of the follow-up and among atopic children. No consistent associations were found between moisture damage with or without visible mold and atopic sensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moisture damage and mold in early infancy in the child's main living areas were associated with asthma development. Atopic children may be more susceptible to the effects of moisture damage and mold.
authors: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland; anne.karvonen@thl.fi.
authors: Anne M
authors: AM
authors: Karvonen
authors: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland;
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Hyvärinen
authors: Pediatric Research Center, Tampere University and University Hospital, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland;
authors: Matti
authors: M
authors: Korppi
authors: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland;
authors: Ulla
authors: U
authors: Haverinen-Shaughnessy
authors: Institute for Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany;
authors: Harald
authors: H
authors: Renz
authors: Institute for Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany;
authors: Petra I
authors: PI
authors: Pfefferle
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland;
authors: Sami
authors: S
authors: Remes
authors: Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany; and.
authors: Jon
authors: J
authors: Genuneit
authors: Department of Environmental Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland; Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Juha
authors: J
authors: Pekkanen
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005658:Fungi; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: asthma; atopy; children; cohort studies; environmental exposure; indoor; moisture damage; mold growth; respiratory tract disease