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[Mold-Triggers-Asthma-Attacks] [Allergy-Information]
Airborne Molds May Trigger Asthmatic Attacks
Laurie Barclay, MD, medscape.com
Medscape
Medical News 2002. © 2002 Medscape
Aug. 26, 2002
— Many asthmatics are sensitive to airborne molds rather than to pollens or
animal dander, according to an epidemiological survey published in the Aug.
24 issue of the British Medical
Journal.
"Sensitization to molds is a powerful risk factor for severe asthma in
adults," write Mahmoud Zureik, from the National Institute of Health and
Medicine Research (INSERM) in
Paris,
France, and colleagues. "This should be taken into account in primary
prevention, management, and patients' education."
Investigators in this cross-sectional study from the European Community
respiratory health survey analyzed data from 1,132 people with asthma, aged
20-44 years. The frequency of sensitization to airborne molds increased
significantly with increasing asthma severity (odds ratio 2.34, 95%
confidence interval 1.56 to 3.52, for severe vs. mild asthma). There was no
association between severity of asthma and sensitization to pollens or cats.
The authors
suggest that fungi are more likely to exacerbate asthma than is pollen or
animal dander because the small size of fungal spores may allow them to
reach the lower airways; molds are present throughout the year; and most
asthmatics spend more time indoors where molds are more prevalent.
"Those
people with asthma who are sensitized to airborne molds should be educated
to pay careful attention to symptoms and comply with treatment, particularly
during the seasonal increase in mold spore counts," the authors write.
"Patients should be encouraged to decrease exposure by avoiding indoor
conditions that facilitate the growth of molds — for example, by better
ventilation and by decreasing dampness."
BMJ. 2002;325:411-414 Reviewed by Gary D. Vogin, MD
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