Dust-Free Bedrooms in the Treatment of Asthmatic Children with House Dust or House Dust Mite Allergy: A Controlled Trial
1 From the Division of Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Twenty asthmatic children with prick tests positive for house dust or house dust mites were allocated to two groups that were matched for severity. One group was provided with zippered vinyl covers for pillows, mattresses, and box springs, and instructions for making the bedroom as easy to keep clean as a hospital ward; the other group was not. At the end of a 1-month study period, there was a marked and statistically significant difference in symptoms and signs of asthma between the two groups. Those with a dust-free bedroom had fewer days on which wheezing was observed, medication was given, or an abnormally low peak expiratory flow rate was recorded. Bronchial tolerance to aerosolized histamine significantly improved in the group whose bedrooms had been modified. A dust-free bedroom diminishes bronchial irritability and is a practical and effective method for decreasing asthma in children with house dust or house dust mite allergy.
Key Words: asthma • dust • allergy • bronchial reactivity
Submitted on February 24, 1982
Accepted on June 24, 1982
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  S T Holgate and G Lack Improving the management of atopic disease Arch. Dis. Child., August 1, 2005; 90(8): 826 - 831. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. B. Boggs, M. R. Simon, B. A. Chowdhury, E. R. Tovey, T. J. O'Meara, G. B. Marks, M. Weinberger, A. Woodcock, A. Custovic, I. Terreehorst, et al. Bed Covers and Dust Mites N. Engl. J. Med., October 23, 2003; 349(17): 1668 - 1671. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. A. Etzel How Environmental Exposures Influence the Development and Exacerbation of Asthma Pediatrics, July 1, 2003; 112(1): 233 - 239. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L H M Rijssenbeek-Nouwens, A J Oosting, M S de Bruin-Weller, I Bregman, J G R de Monchy, and D S Postma Clinical evaluation of the effect of anti-allergic mattress covers in patients with moderate to severe asthma and house dust mite allergy: a randomised double blind placebo controlled study Thorax, September 1, 2002; 57(9): 784 - 790. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Guendelman, K. Meade, M. Benson, Y. Q. Chen, and S. Samuels Improving Asthma Outcomes and Self-management Behaviors of Inner-city Children: A Randomized Trial of the Health Buddy Interactive Device and an Asthma Diary Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, February 1, 2002; 156(2): 114 - 120. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R Sporik and T A E Platts-Mills Allergen exposure and the development of asthma Thorax, September 1, 2001; 56(90002): ii58 - 63. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Chan-Yeung, J. Manfreda, H. Dimich-Ward, A. Ferguson, W. Watson, and A. Becker A Randomized Controlled Study on the Effectiveness of a Multifaceted Intervention Program in the Primary Prevention of Asthma in High-Risk Infants Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, July 1, 2000; 154(7): 657 - 663. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Avoidance of environmental allergens Can. Med. Assoc. J., November 1, 1999; 161(90111): s20 - 21. [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. G M Cloosterman, O. C P van Schayck, D. S Morrison, T. A E Platts-Mills, M. D Chapman, L. M Wheatley, S J Muncer, P. C Gøtzsche, C. Hammarquist, and M. Burr Control of house dust mite in managing asthma BMJ, March 27, 1999; 318(7187): 870 - 870. [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. T. Furukawa Aerosol Beclomethasone Dipropionate Compared With Theophylline as Primary Treatment of Chronic, Mild to Moderately Severe Asthma in Children, by David G. Tinkelman, MD, et al, Pediatrics, 1993;92:64-77 Pediatrics, July 1, 1998; 102(1): 265 - 266. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. Htut Airborne House Dust Mite Allergen: Are Short-- Duration Avoidance Measures Helpful Indoor and Built Environment, January 1, 1994; 3(1): 48 - 53. [PDF]
|
|
