Case-control study, 2007
What environmental and hormonal factors affect asthma severity in women?
Body weight and hormonal changes around the menstrual cycle are associated with asthma severity in women. Smoking and occupational exposures also increase severity.
What they did
Case-control and family study of 2048 individuals examining environmental and genetic risk factors for asthma and their relation to asthma severity and allergy markers in women.
What they found
Higher body weight was linked to more severe asthma in women with early menstruation. Associations were found between allergy markers and hormonal events in women including premenstrual asthma, menopause, and oral contraceptive use. Occupational exposures, active smoking, and passive smoking were associated with increased asthma severity. Living in the country and early pet exposure were protective factors for allergy.
What it means for you
Women's asthma may worsen around the menstrual period and may be influenced by hormones. Environmental factors like smoking worsen severity. The study supports the hygiene hypothesis for preventing allergies through early childhood exposure.
2048
Number of individuals in the EGEA study
About the study
- Original title
- [Environmental factors for asthma severity and allergy: results from the EGEA study]
- Authors
- Siroux V, Oryszczyn MP, Varraso R et al.
- Journal
- Revue des maladies respiratoires
- Year
- 2007
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- Observational study with no intervention
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s0761-8425(07)91127-4
Topics
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