Association of tobacco smoke exposure and atopic sensitization

Abstract

Background Forty million children are regularly exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) each year, increasing their risk for premature death and middle ear and acute respiratory infections. Early life exposure to ETS also is clearly associated with wheezing. However, there is no clear understanding of the influence of ETS on the development of allergic sensitization. Objective To determine the association of combined exposure to ETS and indoor allergens on IgE sensitization to aeroallergens in children. Methods This case–control study enrolled 116 cases and 121 controls from low-income families from Kansas City, Missouri. The adjusted odds ratio was calculated using a logistic model to assess the association between ETS and allergic sensitization using dust allergen levels as a covariate. Results Thirty-six percent of atopic children and 39% of controls were exposed to ETS (P < .05). Unadjusted analyses showed no significant influence of ETS on IgE sensitization to indoor allergens. Logistic regression analyses also showed no significant influence of ETS on sensitization when adjusted for levels of allergens in the home dust and family history of allergic rhinitis. Conclusion These data suggest that ETS exposure was not associated with IgE sensitization to indoor allergens, even when home allergen levels were taken into consideration. Further understanding of how components of tobacco smoke influence the immune response is necessary to interpret the disparate findings across studies.

Patterns of Sensitization to Inhalant Allergens in Japanese Lower-Grade Schoolchildren and Related Factors

“…In particular, maternal smoking during pregnancy is significantly associated with a reduced respiratory function in early infancy and recurrent wheezing during infancy and early childhood [18] . However, conflicting findings have also been reported; one study found no association between passive smoking and serum IgE levels [21] , and a recent cross-sectional study showed an association between passive smoke exposure and reduced rates of allergic sensitization [22] . Yet another study demonstrated that parental smoking was associated with a reduced risk of allergic sensitization in people with a family history of atopy [23] .…”

Home dust microbiota is disordered in homes of low-income asthmatic children

“…9 Briefly, interested volunteers responded to advertisements by contacting the study coordinator directly by phone. Inclusion criteria for participation in the KCHHP were families with a child that has been diagnosed with asthma, chronic respiratory symptoms, chronic allergy symptoms, or other chronic symptoms affected by a home environment; were living in the Kansas City area; were staying at the same home at least four nights per week; had lived in the same home for the past six months; planned to live in the same home for the next 12 months; and were from families with a total family income less than 80% of the Kansas City median family income.…”

Breastfeeding and risk of asthma, hay fever and eczema

“…Maternal smoking around birth and smoking in house seem to be risk factors for developing asthma, while they have a protective effect on being diagnosed with hay fever and eczema. Maternal smoking around birth and being exposed to smoke have shown conflicting results in previous studies, some studies reporting an increased risk and some reporting a protective effect against atopic sensitization 21,22,23 . A previous study reported a protective effect of maternal smoking, even after correcting for maternal disease incidence 24 .…”