Environmental factors in asthma and allergic diseases among the Indian adolescents: PERFORMANCE study results

Introduction: Although several socio-environmental factors are known to cause asthma/allergic diseases, little is known the factors influencing asthma/allergy among East Indian adolescents. Objective: To estimate the association between asthma/allergic responses and environmental factors. Methods: Among 1684 adolescents (age 13-14 years) recruited in the PERFORMANCE Study1, information about indoor and outdoor environment was achieved through a structured questionnaire. Asthma, rhinitis, and dermatitis were assessed using the English-back Bengali version of the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire modules, as described previously1. Results: 58% of the study population was male. Prevalence of rhinitis, asthma, and dermatitis were 21%, 11%, and 21%, respectively. In logistic regression models adjusted for gender and parental atopy/asthma, asthma was significantly associated with exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) at home [aOR: 1.9; 95%CI: 1.2-3.0] and open dustbin/garbage stack near home [1.6; 1.1-2.3]. Apart from these two factors, dermatitis was also associated with exposure to pets (cattle/dog/cat/birds/livestock) [1.5; 1.1-2.0] and presence of bush near the house [1.8; 1.3-2.4]. The risk of asthma and dermatitis were higher among adolescents with parental symptoms for the above risk factors, except for pet exposure. Conclusion: While exposure to garbage/open mouth dustbins is the major outdoor factor, SHS and animal contact are some of the major indoor air contaminants contributing to asthma and other allergic diseases among East Indian adolescents. Reference: 1. Bhattacharjee S, et al. ERJ Open Res. 2018:00034-2018