Early age exposure to moisture damage and systemic inflammation at the age of 6 years

Abstract

Cross‐sectional studies have shown that exposure to indoor moisture damage and mold may be associated with subclinical inflammation. Our aim was to determine whether early age exposure to moisture damage or mold is prospectively associated with subclinical systemic inflammation or with immune responsiveness in later childhood. Home inspections were performed in children's homes in the first year of life. At age 6 years, subclinical systemic inflammation was measured by serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) and blood leukocytes and immune responsiveness by ex vivo production of interleukin 1‐beta (IL‐1β), IL‐6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) in whole blood cultures without stimulation or after 24 hours stimulation with phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate and ionomycin (PI), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or peptidoglycan (PPG) in 251‐270 children. Moisture damage in child's main living areas in infancy was not significantly associated with elevated levels of CRP or leukocytes at 6 years. In contrast, there was some suggestion for an effect on immune responsiveness, as moisture damage with visible mold was positively associated with LPS‐stimulated production of TNF‐α and minor moisture damage was inversely associated with PI‐stimulated IL‐1β. While early life exposure to mold damage may have some influence on later immune responsiveness, it does not seem to increase subclinical systemic inflammation in later life.

Early age exposure to moisture and mould is related to FeNO at the age of 6 years

“…A detailed description of the exposure assessment has been comprehensively depicted previously. 8,30 For the present analysis, we focused on four previously described 16 combined variables due to limited number of cases for the more detailed exposure classifications: (i) moisture damage in the child's main living areas (including living room, child's bedroom, and kitchen), (ii) moisture damage with mold in the child's main living areas, (iii) moisture damage or mold in the child's main living areas, and (iv) overall estimate for the need for repair scale in the whole house (Online supplement 1).…”

“…[8][9][10][11][12] It has been suggested that microbial components such as cell fragments or spores shed during fungal growth in moisture-damaged buildings may induce inflammatory responses. [13][14][15][16][17][18] In turn, a chronic inflammatory process within the respiratory tract is considered as a key factor in the pathogenesis of asthma. 19,20 A major part of previous studies assessed asthma by selfreported questionnaires.…”

“…A considerable proportion of children worldwide are exposed to a moldy and damp indoor home environment 6,7 and exposure to indoor moisture damage and visible mold has been found to be associated with asthma and respiratory symptoms in several studies 8‐12 . It has been suggested that microbial components such as cell fragments or spores shed during fungal growth in moisture‐damaged buildings may induce inflammatory responses 13‐18 . In turn, a chronic inflammatory process within the respiratory tract is considered as a key factor in the pathogenesis of asthma 19,20 …”

Early‐life residential exposure to moisture damage is associated with persistent wheezing in a Finnish birth cohort

“…The variable “Moisture damage or mould in the child's main living areas” was created using combined information on signs of moisture damage and visible mold in the child's bedroom, the home's living room, and kitchen. As in previous publications, 6 , 24 observation of visible mold only on silicone sealants in the kitchen or in the bathroom was classified as “no mold.”…”