HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: thx.2004.025973v1 60/11/937    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Duelien Skorge, T Articles by Bakke, P S Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Duelien Skorge, T Articles by Bakke, P S Topic Collections Related Article

Indoor exposures and respiratory symptoms in a Norwegian community sample

¹ Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
² Department of Thoracic Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
³ Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen and Section for Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr T Duelien Skorge
Haukeland University Hospital, N-5021 Bergen, Norway; tduelien{at}online.no

Background: Limited data are available on the effect of a poor indoor climate on the respiratory health of adults. No data are available regarding the contribution of indoor exposures to the burden of respiratory symptoms in the population.

Methods: In 1996–7 a community sample of 3181 adults aged 26–82 years was invited to participate in a survey on indoor climate and respiratory health in Hordaland County, Norway. 2401 subjects agreed to take part. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between eight markers of indoor exposure and physician diagnosed asthma and five respiratory symptoms, after adjustment for sex, age, smoking, educational level, smoking habits, pack years, and occupational airborne exposure.

Results: Mould exposure was associated with all the respiratory symptoms; the adjusted odds ratios (OR) varied from 1.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0 to 2.4) for cough with phlegm to 2.3 (95% CI 1.4 to 3.9) for grade 2 dyspnoea. Keeping a cat or dog in childhood was associated with grade 2 dyspnoea and attacks of dyspnoea, with adjusted ORs of 1.3 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.7) and 1.4 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.8), respectively. Having a fitted carpet in the bedroom was negatively associated with three of the five respiratory symptoms. 3–5% of the frequency of the respiratory symptoms in the study population could be attributed to exposure to visible moulds.

Conclusion: Mould exposure is an independent risk factor for several respiratory symptoms in a general population covering a wide age span, but it makes only a small contribution to the respiratory symptom burden in the population at large.

Keywords: asthma; indoor exposures; community survey; moulds; respiratory symptoms

Related Article

Airwaves

Wisia Wedzicha
Thorax 2005 60: 885. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. F. Potts, R. J. Rona, M. J. Oyarzun, H. Amigo, and P. Bustos Indoor Risk Factors for Cough and Their Relation to Wheeze and Sensitization in Chilean Young Adults Am J Public Health, April 1, 2008; 98(4): 680 - 686. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M L Burr, I P Matthews, R A Arthur, H L Watson, C J Gregory, F D J Dunstan, and S R Palmer Effects on patients with asthma of eradicating visible indoor mould: a randomised controlled trial Thorax, September 1, 2007; 62(9): 767 - 772. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Ozdilli, H. Issever, B. A. Ozyildirim, B. Hapcioglu, N. Ince, H. Ince, Y. Yegenoglu, S. Susever, M. Erelel, E. Isik, et al. Biological Hazards in Tannery Workers Indoor and Built Environment, August 1, 2007; 16(4): 349 - 357. [Abstract] [PDF]