Identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13003/15721
Does Pet Ownership in Infancy Lead to Asthma or Allergy at School Age? Pooled Analysis of Individual Participant Data from 11 European Birth Cohorts
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ISSN: 1932-6203
WOS ID: 000308206000024
Scopus EID: 2-s2.0-84865603463
PMID: 22952649
Embase PUI: L365542819
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Carlsen, Karin C. Lodrup; Roll, Stephanie; Carlsen, Kai-Hakon; Mowinckel, Petter; Wijga, Alet H.; Brunekreef, Bert; Torrent, Maties; Roberts, Graham; Arshad, S. Hasan; Kull, Inger; Kraemer, Ursula; von Berg, Andrea; Eller, Esben; Host, Arne; Kuehni, Claudia; Spycher, Ben; Sunyer, Jordi; Chen, Chih-Mei; Reich, Andreas; Asarnoj, Anna; Puig, Carmen; Herbarth, Olf; John, Jestinah M. Mahachie; Van Steen, Kristel; Willich, Stefan N.; Wahn, Ulrich; Lau, Susanne; Keil, Thomas; Birth Cohorts Working GrpPublication date
2012-08-29Document type
research articleCitation
Lodrup Carlsen KC, Roll S, Carlsen KH, Mowinckel P, Wijga AH, Brunekreef B, et al. Does Pet Ownership in Infancy Lead to Asthma or Allergy at School Age? Pooled Analysis of Individual Participant Data from 11 European Birth Cohorts. PLoS One. 2012 Aug 29;7(8):e43214. Epub 2012 Aug 29.Abstract
Objective: To examine the associations between pet keeping in early childhood and asthma and allergies in children aged 6-10 years. Design: Pooled analysis of individual participant data of 11 prospective European birth cohorts that recruited a total of over 22,000 children in the 1990s. Exposure definition: Ownership of only cats, dogs, birds, rodents, or cats/dogs combined during the first 2 years of life. Outcome definition: Current asthma (primary outcome), allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic sensitization during 610 years of age. Data synthesis: Three-step approach: (i) Common definition of outcome and exposure variables across cohorts; (ii) calculation of adjusted effect estimates for each cohort; (iii) pooling of effect estimates by using random effects meta-analysis models. Results: We found no association between furry and feathered pet keeping early in life and asthma in school age. For example, the odds ratio for asthma comparing cat ownership with no pets (10 studies, 11489 participants) was 1.00 (95% confidence interval 0.78 to 1.28) (I 2 = 9%; p = 0.36). The odds ratio for asthma comparing dog ownership with no pets (9 studies, 11433 participants) was 0.77 (0.58 to 1.03) (I-2 = 0%, p = 0.89). Owning both cat(s) and dog(s) compared to no pets resulted in an odds ratio of 1.04 (0.59 to 1.84) (I-2 = 33%, p = 0.18). Similarly, for allergic asthma and for allergic rhinitis we did not find associations regarding any type of pet ownership early in life. However, we found some evidence for an association between ownership of furry pets during the first 2 years of life and reduced likelihood of becoming sensitized to aero-allergens. Conclusions: Pet ownership in early life did not appear to either increase or reduce the risk of asthma or allergic rhinitis symptoms in children aged 6-10. Advice from health care practitioners to avoid or to specifically acquire pets for primary prevention of asthma or allergic rhinitis in children should not be given.
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https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0043214MeSH
ChildAsthma
Cats
Hypersensitivity
Humans
Child, Preschool
Allergens
Infant
Dogs
Male
Infant, Newborn
Female
Risk
Animals
Odds Ratio
Cohort Studies
Pets
Birds
Rodentia
DeCS
Estudios de CohortesAnimales
Oportunidad Relativa
Recién Nacido
Femenino
Lactante
Perros
Masculino
Alérgenos
Preescolar
Hipersensibilidad
Mascotas
Riesgo
Humanos
Asma
Gatos
Niño
Roedores
Aves