Title: Traffic pollution is associated with early childhood aeroallergen sensitization.
Authors: Codispoti, Christopher D; LeMasters, Grace K; Levin, Linda; Reponen, Tiina; Ryan, Patrick H; Biagini Myers, Jocelyn M; Villareal, Manuel; Burkle, Jeff; Evans, Sherry; Lockey, James E; Khurana Hershey, Gurjit K; Bernstein, David I
Published In Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol, (2015 Feb)
Abstract: No large, prospective, epidemiologic study has investigated the association between diesel exhaust particle (DEP) exposure and early aeroallergen sensitization and allergic rhinitis (AR) at 4 years of age.To determine how exposure to traffic exhaust during infancy is associated with aeroallergen sensitization and AR at 4 years of age and the predictive utility of the wheal area at 1 to 3 years of age on AR at 4 years of age.Infants born to aeroallergen sensitized parents were evaluated annually with skin prick tests to 15 aeroallergens with measurement of wheal areas. At 4 years of age, AR was defined as at least one positive aeroallergen skin prick test result and the presence of sneezing and a runny nose without a cold or flu. Infant (DEP) exposure was estimated using data from 27 air sampling monitors and a land use regression model.Complete data were available for 634 children at 4 years of age. Prevalence of AR increased annually from 6.9% to 21.9%. A positive trend was observed for high DEP exposure and aeroallergen sensitization at 2 and 3 years of age (odds ratio, 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.97-2.0) and (odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.98-1.85) but not with AR. At 2 years of age, every 1-mm(2) increase in the wheal area of timothy and Alternaria significantly increased the odds of AR at 4 years of age. At 3 years of age, every 1-mm(2) increase in the wheal area of fescue, dog, and Penicillium significantly increased the odds of AR at 4 years of age.DEP exposure enhances the risk of early aeroallergen sensitization. Aeroallergen wheal area at 2 and 3 years of age is associated with AR at 4 years of age.
PubMed ID: 25499550
MeSH Terms: Air Pollutants/adverse effects; Air Pollutants/immunology*; Air Pollution/adverse effects*; Allergens/immunology*; Alternaria/immunology; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Inhalation Exposure; Male; Parents; Penicillium/immunology; Prospective Studies; Rhinitis, Allergic/epidemiology*; Skin Tests; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vehicle Emissions/toxicity*