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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Jun 10.
Published in final edited form as: Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2018 Feb;8(2):108–352. doi: 10.1002/alr.22073

TABLE IX.A.3.

Evidence of the effectiveness of pet avoidance and environmental controls

Study Year LOE Study design Study groups Clinical endpoint Conclusion
Wood et al.1148 1998 1b RCT Cat-sensitive adults:
  1. HEPA filter;

  2. Placebo

Cat allergen levels (airborne and settled dust), symptom scores, medication scores, spirometry HEPA filters are associated with reduced airborne but not settled dust, cat allergen levels without effect on disease activity.
Sanchez et al.1146 2015 2b Cohort Study Patients with diagnosed allergy Sensitization to household animals, compliance with avoidance recommendations and EC Avoidance recommendations may be impractical with high rates of sensitization, indirect exposure, and low rates of compliance.
Björnsdottir et al.1147 2003 2ba RCT Cat-allergic patients:
  1. EC;

  2. Unchanged environment

Environmental (settled dust) Fel d 1 levels, nasal inspiratory flow, nasal symptoms Multimodality EC is associated with decreased allergen concentration and significant improvements in nasal inspiratory flow and patient symptoms.
a

Follow-up <80% prevents 1b.

EC = environmental control; HEPA = high-efficiency particulate air; LOE = level of evidence; RCT = randomized controlled trial.