Asthma and atopy in Western and Eastern communities — current status and open questions

Nowak, Bernadeta; Wichmann,; Magnussen,

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2222.1998.00373.x

Cited by 18 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…(5)(6)(7)(8)(9) However, other studies have failed to see such an association (10) and experimental data supporting these claims is scant. Although the role of pollutants in allergic inflammation has been extensively studied in many animal models, few studies have used these models to study the association between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) 3 (3) (commonly referred to as "secondhand smoke") and allergy/ asthma. Seymour et al (11) have shown that ETS can exacerbate allergic responses in mice previously sensitized i.p.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Secondhand Smoke Induces Allergic Sensitization in Mice

Rumold

Jyrala²,

Díaz-Sánchez

2001

The Journal of Immunology

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Epidemiological studies have suggested increased prevalence of atopy in children of maternal smokers. Although secondhand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has been shown to augment allergic responses, its role in atopic sensitization is still controversial. We studied whether ETS could initiate a Th2 response and thus induce primary allergic sensitization. Mice were exposed for 10 consecutive days to either 1% aerosolized OVA, ETS (5 cigarettes), or both ETS and OVA. C57BL/6 mice receiving both ETS and OVA developed OVA-specific IgE and IgG1, 12, 14, and 25 days after the initial exposure, whereas those receiving OVA alone did not. Thirty days after the initial challenge (20 days after its completion), mice were re-exposed to OVA. Bronchoalveolar lavage performed 24 h later revealed an influx of eosinophils in the group initially challenged with both ETS and OVA, but not in those exposed to ETS alone or OVA alone. Increases in IL-5, GM-CSF, and IL-2 were observed in bronchoalveolar lavage from this OVA/ETS-exposed group, whereas IFN-γ levels were significantly inhibited. These results suggest that ETS can induce allergic sensitization to a normally harmless Ag, and they may explain why secondhand smoke is a major risk factor for the development of allergy in children.

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confidence: 99%

“…T he worldwide prevalence and severity of allergic disease is increasing in the general population (1)(2)(3). Although this increase is probably the result of several factors, epidemiological studies have implicated both a decrease in childhood infections and an increase in environmental pollution as risk factors (reviewed in Ref.…”

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Secondhand Smoke Induces Allergic Sensitization in Mice

Rumold

Jyrala²,

Díaz-Sánchez

2001

The Journal of Immunology

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“…We believed not and suggested that immediately after German re-unification large differences in lifestyle factors were much more important than the contributions of ambient air pollution 4. It was predicted that the prevalence of asthma and allergies would increase in East Germany when lifestyle and living conditions in East and West converged 4. Indeed, the most recent national survey in children and adolescents in Germany did not find any difference in the prevalence of asthma, hay fever and allergic sensitisation between East and West German populations 5…”

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confidence: 94%

“…Could these study results be used as arguments against a causal role of air pollution in atopic diseases? We believed not and suggested that immediately after German re-unification large differences in lifestyle factors were much more important than the contributions of ambient air pollution 4. It was predicted that the prevalence of asthma and allergies would increase in East Germany when lifestyle and living conditions in East and West converged 4.…”

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confidence: 97%

Air pollution, asthma and allergies in children

Heinrich

2010

Occup Environ Med

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“…The factors which cause these striking dierences remain unclear, even though several explanations have been proposed. Possible factors could be exposure to dierent allergens or dierent environmental factors, including outdoor and indoor pollutants (4,5). If these factors really caused higher rates in West Germany one might expect a tendency for increased prevalence rates in the East when the exposure factors in East Germany change towards the conditions met in West Germany.…”

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confidence: 99%

Trends in bronchial hyperresponsiveness, respiratory symptoms and lung function among adults: West and East Germany

Richter¹,

Heinrich²,

Jörres³

et al. 2000

Respiratory Medicine

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Previous studies have shown higher prevalences of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), respiratory symptoms and atopic sensitization among adults in Western Germany than in Eastern Germany. One of the aims of the joint project INGA (INdoor Factors and Genetics in Asthma) is to assess incidence, prevalence and trends for asthma, BHR and atopic diseases over a time period of 11 years (1990-2001) in the former West (Hamburg) and East Germany (Erfurt), with special reference to indoor exposure. INGA was designed as a case-control study following a cross-sectional study performed from 1990 to 1992 within the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). The database consisted of 1159 subjects in Hamburg and 731 subjects in Erfurt from the ECRHS (age 20-44). In 1995-1996, 107 cases (diagnosed asthma, positive specific serum IgE, positive skin prick or PD20FEV1< or =2.0 mg methacholine at ECRHS) and 106 controls (none of the previous findings) participated in Hamburg (115 cases and 109 controls in Erfurt). The methodology was identical to the ECRHS and dose-response slopes (DRS) of the methacholine challenge were calculated as an index of responsiveness. In the control group, median values of DRS were 0.028% mg(-1) (1990-1992) and 0.044 (1995-1996) (P<0.01) in Erfurt. Corresponding values for Hamburg were 0.028 and 0.022 (NS). Corresponding values within the case groups were 0.041 and 0.049 (NS) for Erfurt, and 0.069 and 0.052 (P<0.05) for Hamburg. Thus, 4 years after the first survey, we found an increased BHR in the Erfurt control group while the bronchial responsiveness remained unchanged for the Hamburg group. These trends in BHR, which indicate the expected converging tendency between East and West Germany, have to be confirmed within the next INGA-survey in 2000-2001.

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Asthma and atopy in Western and Eastern communities — current status and open questions

Cited by 18 publications

References 24 publications

Secondhand Smoke Induces Allergic Sensitization in Mice

Secondhand Smoke Induces Allergic Sensitization in Mice

Air pollution, asthma and allergies in children

Trends in bronchial hyperresponsiveness, respiratory symptoms and lung function among adults: West and East Germany

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