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Peak‐flow variability in asthmatic children is not related to wall‐to‐wall carpeting on classroom floors
Author(s) -
Voûte P. D.,
Zock J. P.,
Brunekreef B.,
Jongste J. C.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1994.tb02094.x
Subject(s) - bedroom , asthma , dust mites , medicine , respiratory system , pediatrics , house dust mite , allergen , allergy , geography , immunology , archaeology
The hypothesis was tested that wall‐to‐wall carpets on school classroom floors have a negative effect on the respiratory health of asthmatic children. Asthmatic patients ( n = 98) were selected from the records of the Sophia Children's Hospital in Rotterdam. The patients were between 5 and 11 years old. All children had peak‐flow measurements three times a day for a 1‐month period. The parents of the children completed a diary in which respiratory symptoms and medication use were recorded daily for the same period. Dust samples were taken from classroom floors, living‐room and bedroom floors, and mattresses of the children. The dust samples were analyzed for Der p I content, the major allergen of the house‐dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. The results of the study showed that there was no significant difference between children visiting schools with or without carpeted classroom floors in peak‐flow variability, acute respiratory symptoms, or medication use. The Der p I content of dust collected from classroom floors was much lower than of dust collected from homes. There was a significant correlation between peak‐flow variability and mattress dust Der p I content in asthmatic children sensitized to dust mites, but not between peak‐flow variability and classroom floor dust Der p I content. We concluded that carpeted classroom floors do not contribute to asthma symptom severity, possibly because of the low levels of Der p I on them.