Effectiveness of the PREVASC-intervention on reducing allergen and enwironmental tabacco smoke exposure

Abstract

In the PREVASC-study, the effectiveness of a combined intervention program aimed at reducing the exposure to allergens and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on primary prevention of asthma in familial predisposed children, is being evaluated. Four hundred forty-one children will be followed from the prenatal period until the age of 6 years. The children are randomly allocated to an intervention group (n=222) or a usual care group (n=219). The parents in the intervention group are advised on measures to decrease the exposure of their child to allergens and ETS. The advice given is focussed on type of feeding in the first 6 months of life, ETS-exposure and exposure to house dust mite and pet allergens. Preliminary results of the exposure levels of the children participating in our study reveal that the intervention is very successful in reducing the allergen exposure but not exposure to ETS. Room for improvement on ETS exposure as measured by reported smoking habits of parents inside the house showed to be low. Only 15,3% of parents in the intervention group and 13,9% in the control group reported to be smokers (p=0.299). Exposure to house dust mite, cat- and dog allergen in the intervention group was reduced significantly (p=0.000). As far as the type of feeding is concerned, the results reveal that the intervention has resulted in a lower percentage of children exposed to cow's milk in the period from birth until 6 months of age. Twenty three % of children in the control group as compared to 57% in the intervention group were never exposed to cow's milk in the first 26 weeks of life (p=0.000). It is hypothesised that reducing the levels of exposure to allergens in early life will contribute to primary prevention of asthma in familial predisposed children.