The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 120, Issue 1 , Pages 113-120 , July 2007

Lack of association between indoor allergen sensitization and asthma morbidity in inner-city adults

  • Juan P. Wisnivesky, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • From the Division of General Internal Medicine
    • Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Juan P. Wisnivesky, MD, MPH, Division of General Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1087, New York, NY 10029.
  • ,
  • Hugh Sampson, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics
  • ,
  • Stephen Berns, MD

      Affiliations

    • From the Division of General Internal Medicine
  • ,
  • Meyer Kattan, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics
  • ,
  • Ethan A. Halm, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • From the Division of General Internal Medicine
    • Department of Health Policy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Received 20 December 2006 ,Revised 6 March 2007 ,Accepted 27 March 2007.

References 

  1. Trends in asthma morbidity and mortality. American Lung Association Epidemiology and Statistics Unit Research and Scientific Affairs. July 2006. Available at: http://www.lungusa.org/atf/cf/{7A8D42C2-FCCA-4604-8ADE-7F5D5E762256}/ASTHMA06FINAL.PDF. Accessed May 14, 2007.
  2. Mannino DM, Homa DM, Akinbami LJ, Moorman JE, Gwynn C, Redd SC. Surveillance for asthma: United States, 1980-1999. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2002;51:1–13
  3. Homa DM, Mannino DM, Lara M. Asthma mortality in U.S. Hispanics of Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban heritage, 1990-1995. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2000;161:504–509
  4. Ledogar RJ, Penchaszadeh A, Garden CC, Iglesias G. Asthma and Latino cultures: different prevalence reported among groups sharing the same environment. Am J Public Health. 2000;90:929–935
  5. Murray CS, Simpson A, Custovic A. Allergens, viruses, and asthma exacerbations. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2004;1:99–104
  6. Wisnivesky JP, Leventhal H, Halm EA. Predictors of asthma-related health care utilization and quality of life among inner-city patients with asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005;116:636–642
  7. Eisner MD, Katz PP, Yelin EH, Shiboski SC, Blanc PD. Risk factors for hospitalization among adults with asthma: the influence of sociodemographic factors and asthma severity. Respir Res. 2001;2:53–60
  8. Pesola GR, Xu F, Ahsan H, Sternfels P, Meyer IH, Ford JG. Predicting asthma morbidity in Harlem emergency department patients. Acad Emerg Med. 2004;11:944–950
  9. Halm EA, Wisnivesky JP, Leventhal H. Quality and access to care among a cohort of inner-city adults with asthma: who gets guideline concordant care?. Chest. 2005;128:1943–1950
  10. Halm EA, Mora P, Leventhal H. No symptoms, no asthma: the acute episodic disease belief is associated with poor self-management among inner-city adults with persistent asthma. Chest. 2006;129:573–580
  11. Busse PJ, Wang JJ, Halm EA. Allergen sensitization evaluation and allergen avoidance education in an inner-city adult cohort with persistent asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005;116:146–152
  12. Crain EF, Walter M, O'Connor GT, Mitchell H, Gruchalla RS, Kattan M, et al. Home and allergic characteristics of children with asthma in seven U.S. urban communities and design of an environmental intervention: the Inner-City Asthma Study. Environ Health Perspect. 2002;110:939–945
  13. Rosenstreich DL, Eggleston P, Kattan M, Baker D, Slavin RG, Gergen P, et al. The role of cockroach allergy and exposure to cockroach allergen in causing morbidity among inner-city children with asthma. N Engl J Med. 1997;336:1356–1363
  14. Sporik R, Platts-Mills TA, Cogswell JJ. Exposure to house dust mite allergen of children admitted to hospital with asthma. Clin Exp Allergy. 1993;23:740–746
  15. Pollart SM, Chapman MD, Fiocco GP, Rose G, Platts-Mills TA. Epidemiology of acute asthma: IgE antibodies to common inhalant allergens as a risk factor for emergency room visits. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1989;83:875–882
  16. Tunnicliffe WS, Fletcher TJ, Hammond K, Roberts K, Custovic A, Simpson A, et al. Sensitivity and exposure to indoor allergens in adults with differing asthma severity. Eur Respir J. 1999;13:654–659
  17. Perry T, Matsui E, Merriman B, Duong T, Eggleston P. The prevalence of rat allergen in inner-city homes and its relationship to sensitization and asthma morbidity. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003;112:346–352
  18. Gruchalla RS, Pongracic J, Plaut M, Evans R, Visness CM, Walter M, et al. Inner City Asthma Study: relationships among sensitivity, allergen exposure, and asthma morbidity. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005;115:478–485
  19. Lewis SA, Weiss ST, Platts-Mills TA, Burge H, Gold DR. The role of indoor allergen sensitization and exposure in causing morbidity in women with asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002;165:961–966
  20. Rogers L, Cassino C, Berger KI, Goldring RM, Norman RG, Klugh T, et al. Asthma in the elderly: cockroach sensitization and severity of airway obstruction in elderly nonsmokers. Chest. 2002;122:1580–1586
  21. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute . Expert Panel report 2: guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; 1997;
  22. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program(National Heart Lung and Blood Institute) . Expert panel report: guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma: update on selected topics, 2002. Bethesda (MD): US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Asthma Education and Prevention Program; 2003;
  23. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute . Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma: Expert Panel report 2. Bethesda (MD): US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; 1999;
  24. Graham LM. Classifying asthma. Chest. 2006;130:13S–20S
  25. Liard R, Leynaert B, Zureik M, Beguin FX, Neukirch F. Using Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines to assess asthma severity in populations. Eur Respir J. 2000;16:615–620
  26. Kattan M, Mitchell H, Eggleston P, Gergen P, Crain E, Redline S, et al. Characteristics of inner-city children with asthma: the National Cooperative Inner-City Asthma Study. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1997;24:253–262
  27. Ferris BG. Epidemiology standardization project (American Thoracic Society). Am Rev Respir Dis. 1978;118:1–120
  28. Dales RE, Burnett R, Zwanenburg H. Adverse health effects among adults exposed to home dampness and molds. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1991;143:505–509
  29. Thorn J, Brisman J, Toren K. Adult-onset asthma is associated with self-reported mold or environmental tobacco smoke exposures in the home. Allergy. 2001;56:287–292
  30. Dales RE, Zwanenburg H, Burnett R, Franklin CA. Respiratory health effects of home dampness and molds among Canadian children. Am J Epidemiol. 1991;134:196–203
  31. Dales RE, Schweitzer I, Bartlett S, Raizenne M, Burnett R. Indoor air quality and health: reproducibility of respiratory symptoms and reported home dampness and molds using a self-administered questionnaire. Indoor Air. 1994;4:2–7
  32. Pastorello EA, Incorvaia C, Ortolani C, Bonini S, Canonica GW, Romagnani S, et al. Studies on the relationship between the level of specific IgE antibodies and the clinical expression of allergy, I: definition of levels distinguishing patients with symptomatic from patients with asymptomatic allergy to common aeroallergens. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1995;96:580–587
  33. De Lovinfosse S, Charpin D, Dornelas A, Birnbaum J, Vervloet D. Can mite-specific IgE be used as a surrogate for mite exposure?. Allergy. 1994;49:64–66
  34. Wood RA, Phipatanakul W, Hamilton RG, Eggleston PA. A comparison of skin prick tests, intradermal skin tests, and RASTs in the diagnosis of cat allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999;103:773–779
  35. Juniper EF, O'Byrne PM, Guyatt GH, Ferrie PJ, King DR. Development and validation of a questionnaire to measure asthma control. Eur Respir J. 1999;14:902–907
  36. de Vries MP, van den Bemt L, Lince S, Muris JW, Thoonen BP, van Schayck CP. Factors associated with asthma control. J Asthma. 2005;42:659–665
  37. Juniper EF, O'Byrne PM, Ferrie PJ, King DR, Roberts JN. Measuring asthma control: clinic questionnaire or daily diary?. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2000;162:1330–1334
  38. Rosias PP, Dompeling E, Dentener MA, Pennings HJ, Hendriks HJ, Van Iersel MP, et al. Childhood asthma: exhaled markers of airway inflammation, asthma control score, and lung function tests. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2004;38:107–114
  39. Neter J, Kutner MH, Nachtsheim CJ, Wasserman W. Applied linear statistical models. 4th ed.. Boston (MA): McGraw-Hill; 1996;
  40. Morgan WJ, Crain EF, Gruchalla RS, O'Connor GT, Kattan M, Evans R, et al. Results of a home-based environmental intervention among urban children with asthma. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:1068–1080
  41. Maestrelli P, Zanolla L, Puccinelli P, Pozzan M, Fabbri LM. Low domestic exposure to house dust mite allergens (Der p 1) is associated with a reduced non-specific bronchial hyper-responsiveness in mite-sensitized asthmatic subjects under optimal drug treatment. Clin Exp Allergy. 2001;31:715–721
  42. Peat JK, Woolcock AJ, Cullen K. Rate of decline of lung function in subjects with asthma. Eur J Respir Dis. 1987;70:171–179
  43. Ulrik CS, Backer V, Dirksen A. A 10 year follow up of 180 adults with bronchial asthma: factors important for the decline in lung function. Thorax. 1992;47:14–18
  44. Chan-Yeung M, Manfreda J, Dimich-Ward H, Lam J, Ferguson A, Warren P, et al. Mite and cat allergen levels in homes and severity of asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1995;152:1805–1811
  45. Niemeijer NR, de Monchy JG. Age-dependency of sensitization to aero-allergens in asthmatics. Allergy. 1992;47:431–435
  46. Boulet LP, Turcotte H, Laprise C, Lavertu C, Bedard PM, Lavoie A, et al. Comparative degree and type of sensitization to common indoor and outdoor allergens in subjects with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. Clin Exp Allergy. 1997;27:52–59
  47. Holgate ST, Polosa R. The mechanisms, diagnosis, and management of severe asthma in adults. Lancet. 2006;368:780–793
  48. Langley SJ, Goldthorpe S, Craven M, Morris J, Woodcock A, Custovic A. Exposure and sensitization to indoor allergens: association with lung function, bronchial reactivity, and exhaled nitric oxide measures in asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003;112:362–368
  49. Celedon JC, Sredl D, Weiss ST, Pisarski M, Wakefield D, Cloutier M. Ethnicity and skin test reactivity to aeroallergens among asthmatic children in Connecticut. Chest. 2004;125:85–92
  50. Hunninghake GM, Weiss ST, Celedon JC. Asthma in Hispanics. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2006;173:143–163
  51. Eggleston PA, Rosenstreich D, Lynn H, Gergen P, Baker D, Kattan M, et al. Relationship of indoor allergen exposure to skin test sensitivity in inner-city children with asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1998;102:563–570
  52. Phipatanakul W, Eggleston PA, Wright EC, Wood RA. Mouse allergen, I: the prevalence of mouse allergen in inner-city homes. The National Cooperative Inner-City Asthma Study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000;106:1070–1074
  53. Findley S, Lawler K, Bindra M, Maggio L, Penachio MM, Maylahn C. Elevated asthma and indoor environmental exposures among Puerto Rican children of East Harlem. J Asthma. 2003;40:557–569
  54. De Palo VA, Mayo PH, Friedman P, Rosen MJ. Demographic influences on asthma hospital admission rates in New York City. Chest. 1994;106:447–451
  55. Ungar WJ, Coyte PC. Health services utilization reporting in respiratory patients. Pharmacy Medication Monitoring Program Advisory Board. J Clin Epidemiol. 1998;51:1335–1342
  56. Ford JG, Meyer IH, Sternfels P, Findley SE, McLean DE, Fagan JK, et al. Patterns and predictors of asthma-related emergency department use in Harlem. Chest. 2001;120:1129–1135
  57. Diette GB, Krishnan JA, Dominici F, Haponik E, Skinner EA, Steinwachs D, et al. Asthma in older patients: factors associated with hospitalization. Arch Intern Med. 2002;162:1123–1132

 Supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (K08 HS013312, J.P.W.), the National Center for Research Resources (MO1 RR00071), and the National Institute of Aging (RO1 HS09973). Phadia (Uppsala, Sweden) provided the reagents used in this study.Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: H. Sampson has consulting arrangements with Allertein LLC and Dupont-Pioneer and has received grant support from Phadia. M. Kattan is on the speakers' bureau for AstraZeneca. The rest of the authors have declared that they have no conflict of interest.

PII: S0091-6749(07)00643-4

doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2007.03.044

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 120, Issue 1 , Pages 113-120 , July 2007