Table I.

Median levels and range (in parenthesis) of major allergens from mites, cockroach, cat, and dog in dust samples of homes of wheezing and control children by age group

	Under 2 y			2 to 12 y
Allergens	Wheeze (n = 65)	Control (n = 25)	P value	Wheeze (n = 51)	Control (n = 29)	P value
Group 1 mite allergens (μg/g of dust)	9.6	9.2	.5	16.7†	28.3‡	.3
	(0.05 to 200.7)	(0.9 to 56.6)		(1.2 to 654.4)	(1.5 to 131)
Group 2 mite allergens (μg/g of dust)	1.9	1.0	.01	3.6	3.2	.7
	(0.1 to 191.6)	(0.1 to 12.1)		(0.1 to 90.0)	(0.2 to 39.4)
Bla g 1 (U/g of dust)	2.0	3.0	.2	2.0	3.0	.5
	(0.7 to 35.2)	(0.7 to 42.4)		(0.7 to 86.4)	(0.7 to 25.9)
Bla g 2 (μg/g of dust)	0.048	0.08	.1	0.048	0.08	.5
	(0.028 to 1.11)	(0.028 to 1.38)		(0.028 to 1.58)	(0.028 to 1.82)
Fel d 1 (μg/g of dust)∗	0.2	0.1	.2	0.2	0.3	.4
	(0.06 to 23.7)	(0.06 to 2.6)		(0.06 to 23.1)	(0.06 to 3.0)
Can f 1 (μg/g of dust)∗	0.9	1.2	.9	4.0§	2.6	.4
	(0.01 to 200)	(0.1 to 76.8)		(0.04 to 194.5)	(0.07 to 267.4)

^∗Presence of cats or dogs was found in 13 of 172 (7.5%) and 87 of 172 (50.2%) homes visited, respectively. In most cases, animals were kept outside the house.

^†P < .05 compared with wheezing children under 2 years of age.

^‡P < .05 compared with control children younger than 2 years of age.

^§P < .05 compared with wheezing children under 2 years of age.