PMID- 12431192
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20030611
LR  - 20191106
IS  - 0905-6157 (Print)
IS  - 0905-6157 (Linking)
VI  - 13
IP  - 5
DP  - 2002 Oct
TI  - Exposure to pets and allergies in children.
PG  - 334-41
AB  - Currently, there is ongoing discussion regarding potential protective effects of 
      exposure to pets during early childhood on the development of atopic disorders in 
      children later in life. We used data from three consecutive cross-sectional 
      surveys to study the relationship between contact with dogs, cats and other pets, 
      and allergic diseases in schoolchildren 5-14 years of age. In three study areas 
      of the former East Germany, 7,611 questionnaires were received from 5,360 
      different children who were examined between 1992 and 1999 as school entrants, or 
      third- or sixth-graders. Allergic sensitization to common aeroallergens (birch, 
      grass, mite, cat) was assessed by specific serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) 
      concentrations [using radioallergosorbent testing (RAST)] for 85% of the 
      children. After adjustment for possible confounders, inverse associations were 
      found between contact with dogs in the first year of life and lifetime 
      prevalences of asthma [odds ratio (OR) = 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI): 
      0.43-1.08], hay fever (OR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.39-0.95), eczema (OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 
      0.61-0.94), itchy rash (OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.61-0.94), and pollen sensitization 
      (RAST >/= 4: OR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.38-0.82). These effects were more pronounced 
      for children with atopic parents. Similar associations were observed for current 
      contact with dogs. We identified no clear relationships for the other pets (cats, 
      rodents, birds), with the exception that children currently exposed to cats were 
      more likely to be sensitized against cats. In conclusion, this study supports the 
      hypothesis of a potential protective mechanism related to dog exposure in early 
      life, especially for children of atopic parents. However, this association was 
      found only for dogs and not for cats.
FAU - Holscher, Bernd
AU  - Holscher B
AD  - GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of 
      Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany.
FAU - Frye, Christian
AU  - Frye C
FAU - Wichmann, H-Erich
AU  - Wichmann HE
FAU - Heinrich, Joachim
AU  - Heinrich J
LA  - eng
PT  - Comparative Study
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - England
TA  - Pediatr Allergy Immunol
JT  - Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society 
      of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
JID - 9106718
RN  - 0 (Air Pollutants)
RN  - 0 (Allergens)
RN  - 37341-29-0 (Immunoglobulin E)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Age Factors
MH  - Air Pollutants/*adverse effects
MH  - Allergens/*adverse effects
MH  - Animals
MH  - *Animals, Domestic
MH  - Cats
MH  - Child
MH  - Child Welfare
MH  - Child, Preschool
MH  - Cross-Sectional Studies
MH  - Dogs
MH  - Female
MH  - Germany/epidemiology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Immunization
MH  - Immunoglobulin E/blood
MH  - Male
MH  - Odds Ratio
MH  - Prevalence
MH  - Radioallergosorbent Test
MH  - Respiratory Hypersensitivity/blood/epidemiology/*etiology
MH  - Smoking/adverse effects
MH  - Surveys and Questionnaires
EDAT- 2002/11/15 04:00
MHDA- 2003/06/12 05:00
CRDT- 2002/11/15 04:00
PHST- 2002/11/15 04:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2003/06/12 05:00 [medline]
PHST- 2002/11/15 04:00 [entrez]
AID - pai2o063 [pii]
AID - 10.1034/j.1399-3038.2002.02063.x [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2002 Oct;13(5):334-41. doi: 
      10.1034/j.1399-3038.2002.02063.x.