Higher environmental composite quality index score and risk of asthma
and allergy in Northeast China
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although evidence suggests a weak association of single
environmental risk factors with asthma and allergy risk in children, the
influence of a combination of multiple environmental pollutants and
household air pollution in the relationship of asthma and allergy
remains unclear. We aimed to assessed the association of environmental
composite quality index scores with asthma and allergy. METHOD
Environmental composite quality indices were collected using the
questionnaire that contains asthma and allergy, Chinese residential
living habits, and outdoor environment items. Multivariable odds ratios
(ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using the
binary logistic regression model after adjusting the most known asthma
or allergy risk factors. RESULTS In this cross-sectional study, a total
of 1636 girls and 1446 boys were included in the final analyses. Higher
environmental quality index score was correlated with higher risk of
asthma, eczema, and rhinitis. Comparing the top (≥5) to bottom group
(0-2), the multivariable ORs were 2.47 (95% CI, 1.41-4.33, P trend =
0.004) for asthma, 1.51 for eczema (95% CI, 1.18-1.93; P trend = 0.002)
and 1.83 for rhinitis (95% CI, 1.12-3.00; P trend = 0.017). Similar
findings were observed in the stratified analyses. CONCLUSION The study
showed that there is a harmful association between environmental quality
and asthma with allergic diseases in children living in northeast China,
and further research was needed to confirm the findings in other areas
and clarify the specific mechanism.