US EPA

2263536 

Journal Article 

Abstract 

Association between prenatal home cockroach allergen levels and fractional exhaled nitric oxide at age 5-11 years 

Divjan, A; Rosa, MJ; Chew, GL; Diaz, D; Sheares, BJ; Goldstein, IF; Perera, FP; Miller, RL; Perzanowski, MS 

2010 

Yes 

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
ISSN: 1073-449X
EISSN: 1535-4970 

181 

A3924 

English 

10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2010.181.1_MeetingAbstracts.A3924 

WOS:000208771003273 

is part of a larger document 3452678 Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference, May 14-19, 2010, New Orleans

RATIONALE: Exposure to cockroach allergen has been associated with the development of sensitization and exacerbation of asthma symptoms among cockroach allergic subjects, but the role of cockroach allergen in the development of asthma has not been fully elucidated. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a marker of airway inflammation, is elevated among both atopics and asthmatics.

METHODS: As part of a birth cohort study sponsored by Columbia’s Center for Children’s Environmental Health, children of African-American and Dominican mothers living in low-income NYC neighborhoods were followed prospectively. Dust samples were collected from the kitchen floor and mother’s (or child’s) bed during pregnancy and 1 to 3 years after the child was born. Cockroach (Bla g 2) and mouse (MUP) allergens were measured in the dust. At age 5-11 years, FeNO was measured by the offline method at an exhalation flow rate of 83 mL/sec. Due to the log-normal distribution of allergens and FeNO, logarithmically transformed values were used in analyses and geometric means [95% CI] are reported.

RESULTS: Data on cockroach allergen in the prenatal kitchen dust and FeNO at age 5-11 years was available on 268 children. The geometric mean cockroach allergen levels were 0.37 ug/g [0.28-0.47] and 0.057 ug.g [0.048-0.068] from the kitchen and bed, respectively. The corresponding mouse allergen levels were 3.7 ug/g [2.8-4.7] and 0.73 ug/g [0.62-0.86]. The mean age [95% CI] of the children at FeNO measurement was 7.2 [7.0-7.4] years. The geometric mean FeNO was 9.6ppb [8.9-10.3] and was higher among those children with a report of wheeze during the same year (11.5 ppb [9.6-13.8]) than among those who had not wheezed (9.1 ppb [8.4-9.8], P=0.005). Cockroach allergen in the prenatal dust was associated with FeNO at age 5-11 years (β=0.048, P=0.004). In the smaller sample on which a postnatal (age 1-3 years) dust sample was available (n=216), the association between kitchen cockroach allergen and FeNO was of borderline statistical significance (β=0.035, P=0.087). There was no association with mouse allergen from either location or time. Prenatal cockroach allergen remained independently associated with early childhood FeNO after controlling for age at FeNO testing, race/ethnicity, gender and maternal asthma (β=0.032, P=0.045).

CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective cohort study of children living in an inner-city community, cockroach allergen measured in the kitchen dust before the child was born was associated with FeNO (a marker of airway inflammation) at age 5-11 years. 

American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference 

New Orleans, LA 

May 14-19, 2010