Risk of Asthma Among Children from In-Utero Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollutants

Abstract

RATIONALE: Asthma is a multifactorial, complex disease whose prevalence has been increasing in the last years globally. Cockroach sensitization may be a risk factor for asthma morbidity. We aimed to demonstrate that cockroach sensitization is a risk factor for a lack of control of this disease. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of a cohort with 150 children with asthma aged 6 to 14 years who lived in the urban or rural region of the Aburr a Valley-Colombia, were recruited for the study to evaluate sensitization to cockroach (Per a) through skin tests. A logistic regression model to adjust the prevalence ratio (PR) of asthmatic disease by age, sex, sociodemographic condition, cockroach sensitization, cosensitizations and asthma control measured by asthma control test (ACT) was applied. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (36.6%) had uncontrolled asthma. A total of 31 patients were sensitized to cockroach of which 16 had uncontrolled asthma. An association with cockroach sensitization and poor asthma control was demonstrated in the this population in the multivariate analysis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 5 3,27; 95% IC, 1.08-9.89), (p50,035). CONCLUSIONS: This finding has also been evidenced in other populations indicating that the control of this indoor source of allergens may be important in controlling the disease and future development of immunotherapy would be valuable.