Skip to main content
PMC home page
Elsevier - PMC COVID-19 Collection logoLink to Elsevier - PMC COVID-19 Collection
. 2004 Nov 14;206(3):173–179. doi: 10.1078/1438-4639-00218

Redecoration of apartments promotes obstructive bronchitis in atopy risk infants – Results of the LARS study

Ulrike Diez a,*, Martina Rehwagen a, Ulrike Rolle-Kampczyk a, Heide Wetzig b, Rita Schulz b, Matthias Richter a, Irina Lehmann a, Michael Borte b, Olf Herbarth a,c
PMCID: PMC7129632  PMID: 12872525

Abstract

Findings by other authors indicate that exposure to chemical emissions from indoor paint is related to asthma symptoms in adults. In their first years of life children are receptive to obstructive airway diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of redecoration of the apartment on airway symptoms in infants during the first two years of life. The Leipzig Allergy Risk Children Study (LARS) is a birth cohort study with the following inclusion criteria: double positive family atopy anamnesis, cord blood IgE>0.9 kU/l, or low birth weight between 1500 – 2500 g. Within the context of LARS, 186 parents of risk children completed a questionnaire on the respiratory symptoms of their children and the redecoration of their apartment at the end of the first and second year of life. A total 22% of the children suffered from obstructive bronchitis once or more during their first year, and 11% experienced this condition during their second year of life. Redecoration of the apartment had a significant influence on the appearance of obstructive bronchitis in the first (OR 4.1 95%CI 1.4 – 11.9) and in the second year of life (OR 4.2 95%CI 1.4 – 12.9). (The OR are adjusted for cord blood-IgE >0.9 kU/l, birth weight ≤2500 g, male sex and double positive parental atopy anamnesis, dampness, smoking or pet in the apartment). Simultaneous contamination from redecoration activities and additional exposures such as smoking, a pet or dampness in the apartment increased the risk for obstructive bronchitis in the first year (OR 9.1; 95% CI 2.3 – 34.8) as well as in the second year (OR 5.1; 95%CI 1.6 – 15.6). Our data suggest that redecoration of the apartment is associated with the development of acute inflammations, but not with a chronic influence on the airways in atopy risk infants. At an exposure to more than one environmental factor, pronounced effects were seen.

Key words: Redecoration, obstructive bronchitis, atopy risk infants, combined effects

References

  1. Ashley D.L., Bonin M.A., Cardinali F.L., McCraw J.M., Wooten J.V. Measurement of volatile organic compounds in human blood. Environ. Health Perspect. 1996;104(Suppl. 5):871–877. doi: 10.1289/ehp.96104s5871. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bergmann K.E., Bergmann R.L., Bauer C.P., Dorsch W., Forster J., Schmidt E., Schulz J., Wahn U. Atopie in Deutschland. Deutsches Ärzteblatt. 1993;90/18:B956–B960. [Google Scholar]
  3. Bergmann R.L., Bergmann K.E., Lau-Schadensdorf S., Luck W., Dannemann A., Bauer C.P., Dorsch W., Forster J., Schmidt E., Schulz J., Wahn U. Atopic diseases in infancy. The German multicenter atopy study (MAS-90) Pädiatr. Allergy Immunol. 1994;5(Suppl. 1):19–25. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.1994.tb00343.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bergmann R.L., Edenharter G., Bergmann K.E., Guggenmoos-Holzmann I., Forster J., Bauer C.P., Wahn V., Zepp F., Wahn U. Predictability of early atopy by cord-blood-IgE and parental history. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 1997;27/7:752–760. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bergmann R.L., Edenharter K.E., Bergmann K.E., Lau S., Wahn and U., the Multicenter Allergy Study Research Group Socioeconomic status is a risk factor for allergy in parents but not in their children. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 2000;30:1740–1745. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00927.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Borte M., Krause G.M., Vogtmann C.H., Braun W. Phagocytic activities of neutrophils from healthy and high risk neonates – influence of intrauterine growth retardation. Immunobiology. 1993;189:168–169. [Google Scholar]
  7. Borte M., Lehmann I., Arnold S. Lymphocyte surface markers in preterm neonates compared with term neonates. Immunobiology. 1993;189:169. [Google Scholar]
  8. Chauhan A.J., Krishna M.T., Holgate S.T. Exposure to Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Respiratory Disease Risk. Reviews on Environ. Health. 1998;13/1–2:73–90. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Croner S., Kjellmann N.I.M., Eriksson B., Roth A. IgE screening in 1701 newborn infants and the development of atopic disease during infancy. Arch. Dis. Child. 1982;57:364–368. doi: 10.1136/adc.57.5.364. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Dezateux C., Stocks J. Lung development and early origins of childhood respiratory illness. British Medical Bulletin. 1997;53/1:40–57. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.bmb.a011605. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Diez U., Borte M., Braun W., Metzner G., Krumbiegel P., Herbarth O., Rehwagen M., Richter Th., Hüfner J. Untersuchungen zum Einfluß von Schadstoffbelastungen auf Entwicklungsparameter von Neugeborenen – Design und erste Ergebnisse einer epidemiologischen Studie. Pädiatr. Grenzgeb. 1996;34:507–514. [Google Scholar]
  12. Diez U., Kroeßner T., Rehwagen M., Richter M., Wetzig H., Schulz R., Borte M., Metzner G., Krunmbiegel P., Herbarth O. Effects of indoor painting and smoking on airway symptoms in atopy risk children in the first year of life – results of the LARS-study. Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health. 2000;203:23–28. doi: 10.1078/s1438-4639(04)70004-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Emenius G., Nordvall E.H.O., Pershagen G., Wickmann M. Indoor environment and asthma in children up to two years of age: a case control study within the BAMSE birth cohort. Allergy. 2001;56(Suppl 68):175. [Google Scholar]
  14. Herbarth O., Fritz G., Krumbiegel P., Diez U., Franck U., Richter M. Effect of sulfur dioxide and particulate pollutants on bronchitis in children – a risk analysis. Environ. Toxicol. 2001;16/3:269–276. doi: 10.1002/tox.1033. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Hoffmann K., Krause C., Seifert B., Ullrich D. The German Environmental Survey 1990/1992 (GerESII): Sources of personal exposure to volatile organic compounds. J. Expo. Anal. Environ. Epidemiol. 2000;10:115–125. doi: 10.1038/sj.jea.7500084. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Koning H., Baert R.M., Oranje A.P., Savelkoul H.F.J., Neijens H.J. Development of immune functions related to allergic mechanisms in young children. Pediatric Research. 1996;40/3:363–375. doi: 10.1203/00006450-199609000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Lehmann I., Wallach S., Beader A., Emmrich F., Borte M. T cell function in preterm neonates compared to term neonates. Immunobiology. 1998;199:650. [Google Scholar]
  18. Lehmann I., Rehwagen M., Diez U., Seiffarth A., Rolle-Kampczyk U., Richter M., Wetzig H., Borte M., Herbarth O. Enhanced in vivo IgE production and T cell polarization to the type 2 phenotype in association with indoor exposure to VOC: results of the LARS study. Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health. 2001;204:211–221. doi: 10.1078/1438-4639-00100. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Li J.S., Peat J.K., Xuan W., Berry G. Meta-analysis on the association between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and the prevalence of lower respiratory tract infection in early childhood. Pediatr. Pneumol. 1999;27/1:5–13. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0496(199901)27:1<5::aid-ppul3>3.0.co;2-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Martinez F.D. Role of respiratory infection in onset of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 1999;29(Suppl 2):53–58. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2222.1999.00009.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Meusel, S.: Auswertung und Validierung des umweltepidemiologischen Fragebogens der LARS-Studie – Erarbeitung eines Algorithmus zur Diagnoseobjektivierung. M.D. theses, Leipzig, 2002
  22. Molhave L., Bach B., Pedersen O.F. Human reactions to low concentrations of volatile organic compounds. Environ. Internat. 1986;12:167–175. [Google Scholar]
  23. Molhave L. Volatile organic compounds, indoor air quality and health. Indoor Air. 1991;1:357–376. [Google Scholar]
  24. Peat J.K., Dickerson J., Li J. Effects of damp and mould in the home on respiratory health: a review of the literature. Allergy. 1998;53:120–128. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1998.tb03859.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Schwartze H. Neuere Befunde zur Fetalentwicklung der Lunge: Struktur, Surfactant, Lungenflüssigkeit. Zent. bl. Gynäkol. 1990;112:331–335. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Seifert B., Ullrich D., Mailahn W., Nagel R. Flüchtige organische Verbindungen in der Innenraumluft. Bundesgesundheitsblatt. 1986;29/12:417–424. [Google Scholar]
  27. Steffensen F.H., Sorensen H.T., Gillman M.W., Rothman K.J., Sabroe S., Fischer P., Olsen J. Low birth weight and preterm delivery as risk factors for asthma and atopic dermatitis in young adult males. Epidemiology. 2000;11/2:185–188. doi: 10.1097/00001648-200003000-00018. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Stocks J. Respiratory physiology during early life. Monaldi. Arch. Chest. Dis. 1999;54/4:358–364. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. von Mutius E., Nicolai T., Martinez F.D. Prematurity as a risk factor for asthma in preadolescent children. J. Pediatr. 1993;123:223–229. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(05)81692-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. von Mutius E. Asthma und Infekte: Risiko oder Schutz? Schweiz. Med. Wochenschr. 1998;128:1833–1839. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. von Mutius E. Asthma bronchiale und atopische Erkrankungen im Kindesalter. Prävalenz und Risikofaktoren. Dustri-Verlag Dr. Karl Feistle; München-Deisenhofen: 1999. pp. 1–122. [Google Scholar]
  32. Wallace L., Pellizari E., Hartwell T.D., Perrit R., Ziegenfus R. Exposure to benzene and other volatile organic compounds from active and passive smoking. Arch. Environ. Health. 1987;42/5:272–279. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1987.9935820. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Wieslander G., Norbäck G., Björnsson E., Janson C., Boman G. Asthma and the indoor environment: the significance of emission of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds from newly painted indoor surfaces. Int. Arch. Environ. Health. 1997;69:115–124. doi: 10.1007/s004200050125. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Wolkoff P. How measure and evaluate volatile organic compound emissions from building products. A perspective. The Science of the Total Environment. 1999;227:197–213. doi: 10.1016/s0048-9697(99)00019-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Young S., Sherill D.L., Arnott J., Diepeven D., LeSouef P.N., Landau L.I. Parental factors affecting respiratory function during the first year of life. Pediatric Pulmonology. 2000;29:331–340. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0496(200005)29:5<331::aid-ppul1>3.0.co;2-a. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health are provided here courtesy of Elsevier

RESOURCES