Asthma Toxins
Reported December 2, 2005
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — New research is reinforcing the link between dust exposure in the home and asthma.
Researchers from the University of Iowa in Iowa City compared asthma symptoms of 2,400 residents to dust samples from 800 homes. They found endotoxins in bedding dust correlated strongest with asthma symptoms, like wheezing, in the study volunteers.
Endotoxins are toxic substances associated with the outer membrane of certain bacteria. Other research has linked inhalation of the particles to inflammation in the lungs.
“This study clearly demonstrates significant relationships between household endotoxin and diagnosed asthma, recent asthma symptoms, current use of asthma medications and wheezing,” says Peter Thorne, Ph.D., lead author of the study.
Researchers found the strongest relationship between asthma, wheezing and asthma drugs and endotoxin levels in bedrooms and bedding. Researchers note this association was found only in adults. Surprisingly, the highest levels of endotoxins were found in kitchen and living room dust.
SOURCE: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care;2005;172:1371-1377