This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Proximity to moisture damage, mold in early infancy linked with asthma
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Moisture damage in living rooms, kitchens and children's bedrooms were associated with an increased the risk for physician-diagnosed asthma ever, persistent asthma and respiratory symptoms among children during their first 6 years.
"Recent reviews offer sufficient evidence that moisture damage or mold is associated with the development of asthma," Anne M. Karvonen, PhD, from the department of environmental health at the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland, and colleagues wrote. "[However] only a few studies have performed detailed home visits to characterize the extent and location of moisture damage and mold growth."
To determine whether moisture damage - with or without visible mold - inside homes during infancy was associated with the development of asthma and respiratory tract symptoms among children aged younger than 6 years, Karvonen and colleagues examined data from structured home inspections performed when children were aged 5 months (n = 398).
Home inspectors recorded the presence of mold odor or visible mold for each moisture damage observation; mold growth found only on silicone sealants in the kitchen or bathroom, however, was classified as "no mold."
Researchers followed the children for the next 6 years with questionnaires used at 12, 18 and 24 months, followed by annual surveys that included inquiries on respiratory symptoms and physician-diagnosed asthma or bronchitis. Inspector-observed moisture damage or mold in the child's bedroom, living room, or kitchen increased the risk for asthma and persistent asthma during follow-up.
Karvonen and colleagues observed that associations with asthma ever were strongest for moisture damage with visible mold in the child's bedroom (adjusted OR = 4.82; 95% CI, 1.29-18.02) and living room (aOR = 7.51; 95% CI, 1.49-37.83). Links to asthma development were more pronounced in the first 2 years of follow-up and among atopic children. However, the researched identified no consistent association between moisture damage with or without mold and atopic sensitization.
"Our results indicate that exposure to moisture damage with or without mold at an early age is not only associated with asthma ever started at early age but also with persistent asthma, which is likely to remain symptomatic until adulthood," the investigators wrote. "Significant associations with asthma and wheezing were mainly noted for moisture damage with or without mold in the main living area, child's bedroom, and kitchen."
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts