Abstract

W Atkinson, J Harris, P Mills, S Moffat, C White, O Lynch, M Jones, P
Cullinan, AJ Newman Taylor
Full reference: European Respiratory Journal 1999; 13: 583-589.

We have established a multi-centre, prospective cohort study of childhood asthma in three European countries; the purpose of the project is the examination of factors which modify the relationship between allergen exposure in infant life and subsequent atopy and asthma.
Dust samples were collected from the homes of 643 infants in a single town in the United Kingdom - the first cohort - and assayed for Der p1 and Fel d1 concentrations by ELISA. A questionnaire with potential relevance to the development of atopy and asthma was completed.

A wide variation in exposures to both allergens was observed. Carpeted, double-glazed or damp living rooms - and those sampled in winter months - had higher levels of Der p1; these features did not predict Fel d1 concentrations. Measures of high home occupancy were positively related to Der p1 concentrations; and inversely with levels of Fel d1, a finding which could not be explained by cat ownership. Homes in which one or more persons smoked had significantly lower concentrations of Der p1, but not Fel d1; there were no consistent differences in allergen levels between homes where one or more parent - or sibling - was either atopic or asthmatic.

These findings indicate complex interactions between domestic, behavioural and seasonal factors and early allergen exposures in British children.