Journal
JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE
Volume 6, Issue 1, Pages 101-+Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2017.05.019
Keywords
Asthma; Pets; Hospitalizations; Allergen exposure; Cat; Dog; Allergen sensitization
Categories
Funding
- Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences [Z01 ES025041]
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [HHSN2722010000521, UM2AI117870]
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES [UM2AI117870] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES [Z01ES025041, P30ES005605, ZIAES025041] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
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BACKGROUND: Although pets are found in more than 50% of US homes, the effect of pet allergen exposure on asthma morbidity in the US population is not well documented. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of dog and cat allergen exposures on asthma morbidity in the US population. METHODS: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is a representative sample of civilian US population. Data on asthma, dog and cat allergen levels in bedroom dust, as well as specific IgE to dog and cat were analyzed for all participants 6 years or older. RESULTS: Pets are common in the United States, with more that 50% of households having a dog or a cat or both. The prevalence of allergic sensitization in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey population was similar for dog and cat, with both being approximately 12%. Among those who were sensitized, exposure to elevated levels of pet allergens was associated with an increased prevalence of asthma and asthma attacks. Indeed, 44.2% of the asthma attacks were attributable to exposure to high levels of dog allergen in the bedroom among patients with asthma sensitive to dog and 30.3% were attributable to cat allergen exposure among the comparable cat-sensitive and exposed group. Projecting these results to the US population indicates more than 1 million increased asthma attacks each year for the dog-sensitive and exposed group and more than 500,000 increased asthma attacks for the cat-sensitive and exposed population of patients with asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to elevated levels of dog and cat allergens among those sensitized individuals with asthma is associated with excess asthma attacks. Reducing pet allergen exposures has the potential for a significant decrease in asthma morbidity. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
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