Effect of indoor pollutants exposure on symptoms of 315 patients allergic to mite.

RATIONALE:

It has been demonstrated that home visit are useful in the treatment of allergic patients with a rhinitis and/or asthma. Cluster analysis of asthmatic patients suggest that environment control seems to be more efficient in subgroups of children.

Aim: To assess the indoor pollutants exposure and symptoms in mite allergic patients with rhinitis and/or asthma

METHODS:

315 mite allergic patients (mean age: 26.4) with rhinitis and/or asthma had a home visit with a Medical Indoor Environment Councelor (MIEC). They were living in urban and non-urban areas.

The asthma symptoms were graded with GINA guideline and ARIA for rhinitis. A cluster analysis of the dwellings was performed using 42 indoor environmental variables to identify patient’s domestic exposure.

RESULTS:

75% of the patients was asthmatic (237) and 60% were rhinitic. Three main clusters of dwellings were defined: A and B were urban and C non urban. Cluster A,was associated with asthma (85%) and 37% with rhinitis. Patients were significantly more exposed to cockroach, essential oils, indoor perfumes and environmental tobacco smoke. In cluster B, patients were rhinitics (100%) and more exposed to allergens. The results were similar with children.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results underline the importance of a home visit. Despite the same medical diagnosis, the patients were not exposed to the same environment and indoor chemicals appeared to be important in the occurrence of asthma