Table 2.
Glucan, selected covariates, and measures of allergy and asthma
| Characteristics | Quartiles of Glucan Level (μg/mg of Dust) |
P Value for Trend* | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quartile (0.01–0.05) | 2nd Quartile (0.05–0.14) | 3rd Quartile (0.14–0.29) | 4th Quartile (0.30–23.0) | ||
| Participants, n | 80 | 78 | 79 | 80 | |
| Age, yr | 10.6 (2.6) | 10.6 (2.9) | 10.4 (2.7) | 9.9 (2.6) | 0.07 |
| Female sex | 37 (46%) | 33 (42%) | 41 (52%) | 38 (48%) | 0.62 |
| BMI, z-score | 0.64 (1.10) | 0.76 (1.04) | 0.31 (1.11) | 0.33 (1.14) | 0.01 |
| Asthma | 37 (46%) | 41 (53%) | 38 (48%) | 44 (55%) | 0.40 |
| Current exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke | 31 (39%) | 30 (38%) | 36 (46%) | 47 (59%) | <0.01 |
| Household income ≥ $15,000/yr | 21 (27%) | 26 (35%) | 13 (17%) | 18 (23%) | 0.18 |
| Parental history of asthma | 38 (48%) | 32 (41%) | 39 (49%) | 43 (54%) | 0.29 |
| Endotoxin, EU/mg† | 24.4 (2.4) | 27.6 (2.4) | 35.5 (2.3) | 53.3 (2.3) | <0.01 |
| Peptidoglycan, μg/mg† | 0.01 (20) | 0.02 (16) | 0.02 (11) | 0.02 (10) | 0.07 |
| Bla g in house dust, U/g† | 1.6 (4.0) | 2.5 (6.1) | 2.7 (4.8) | 2.8 (5.0) | 0.04 |
| Can f in house dust, μg/g† | 0.16 (6.7) | 0.20 (11) | 0.21 (6.2) | 0.13 (7.0) | 0.60 |
| Der p in house dust, μg /g† | 6.0 (2.9) | 6.1 (2.7) | 5.4 (3.3) | 3.1 (3.3) | <0.01 |
| Fel d in house dust, μg/g† | 0.05 (9.5) | 0.05 (12) | 0.04 (9.5) | 0.05 (9.2) | 0.96 |
| Mus m in house dust, ng/g† | 7.2 (6.1) | 6.1 (9.5) | 12 (13) | 11 (11) | 0.12 |
| STR to indoor allergens‡ | 47 (64%) | 53 (79%) | 53 (83%) | 49 (70%) | 0.31 |
| Alternaria | 10 (13%) | 18 (27%) | 18 (28%) | 19 (27%) | 0.06 |
| Blomia tropicalis | 34 (47%) | 39 (59%) | 33 (52%) | 34 (49%) | 0.96 |
| Cat | 19 (25%) | 27 (40%) | 29 (45%) | 20 (28%) | 0.62 |
| Cockroach | 15 (20%) | 24 (36%) | 31 (48%) | 22 (31%) | 0.06 |
| Dog | 16 (21%) | 21 (31%) | 23 (35%) | 13 (18%) | 0.86 |
| Dust mix | 18 (24%) | 28 (42%) | 23 (36%) | 22 (31%) | 0.50 |
| Dust mite mix | 27 (36%) | 39 (58%) | 39 (60%) | 27 (38%) | 0.75 |
| Mold mix | 7 (9%) | 9 (13%) | 8 (12%) | 11 (15%) | 0.34 |
| Mouse | 12 (16%) | 16 (24%) | 18 (28%) | 20 (28%) | 0.07 |
| Penicillium | 10 (13%) | 16 (24%) | 19 (30%) | 15 (21%) | 0.18 |
| STR to outdoor allergens§ | 33 (44%) | 41 (61%) | 41 (66%) | 36 (57%) | 0.08 |
| Grass mix | 9 (12%) | 12 (18%) | 10 (20%) | 12 (23%) | 0.14 |
| Mugwort/sage | 9 (12%) | 14 (22%) | 9 (18%) | 12 (24%) | 0.14 |
| Ragweed | 22 (29%) | 31 (46%) | 34 (52%) | 30 (42%) | 0.09 |
| Tree mix | 16 (21%) | 28 (42%) | 25 (38%) | 19 (27%) | 0.57 |
| Weed mix | 12 (16%) | 22 (33%) | 21 (32%) | 16 (23%) | 0.40 |
| At least one positive skin test | 51 (68%) | 54 (81%) | 55 (85%) | 53 (75%) | 0.29 |
| Total no. of positive skin tests | 3.1 (3.8) | 5.1 (4.4) | 5.2 (4.3) | 4.1 (4.2) | 0.17 |
| FEV1, L | 2.03 (0.80) | 2.06 (0.76) | 1.92 (0.68) | 1.78 (0.53) | 0.02 |
| FEV1/FVC | 0.82 (0.11) | 0.83 (0.08) | 0.82 (0.11) | 0.81 (0.08) | 0.39 |
| Use of inhaled corticosteroids in the last 6 mo|| | 14 (18%) | 14 (18%) | 9 (11%) | 8 (10%) | 0.11 |
| ≥1 ED or urgent care visit for asthma in the previous yr|| | 16 (48%) | 12 (29%) | 20 (53%) | 32 (74%) | <0.01 |
| ≥1 Hospitalization for asthma in the previous yr|| | 10 (30%) | 8 (20%) | 9 (24%) | 11 (26%) | 0.87 |
Definition of abbreviations: BMI = body mass index; ED = emergency department; STR = skin test reactivity.
Data are presented as n (%) for categorical variables and mean (SD) for continuous variables. Percentages expressed as a proportion of subjects with available data.
P values for continuous variables are calculated as linear trend across quartiles using analysis of variance with orthogonal linear contrast. The two-sided exact Cochran-Armitage trend test was used for categorical variables.
Glucan, endotoxin, peptidoglycan, and allergen levels analyzed on a log10 scale and then exponentiated.
STR to one or more of the following allergens: Alternaria, Blomia tropicalis, cat, cockroach, dog, dust mix, dust mite mix, mold mix, mouse, and Penicillium.
STR to one or more of the following allergens: grass mix, mugwort/sage, ragweed, tree mix, weed mix.
Exacerbation data apply to children with asthma only.