References: Allergen Avoidance
These allergen-avoidance citations are provided for allergy specialists and other medical professionals. A full understanding of the science of allergen avoidance requires a critical reading of the complete text of these and other studies on allergen-avoidance, indoor allergens, and allergic conditions including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis.
AAAAI/ACAAI Environmental Allergy Practice Parameters
Summary: The above link connects to state-of-the-art summaries of the assessment and exposure control of indoor allergens: dust mites, cockroach, furry animals, and rodents.
Environmental assessment and exposure control of dust mites: a practice parameter
Portnoy J, Miller JD, Williams PB, Chew GL, et. al.
Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 2013 Dec;111(6): 465-507
Summary: The above link connects to a recent state-of-the-art review of all aspects of house dust mite allergy, dust mite exposure, and mite allergen avoidance.
Reduction of bronchial hyperreactivity during prolonged allergen avoidance
Platts-Mills TA, Tovey ER, Mitchell EB, Moszoro H, Nock P, Wilkins SR
Lancet. 1982 Sep 25;2(8300):675-8
Summary: This landmark study showed that mite-sensitive asthmatics had a decrease not only in airway obstruction and clinical symptoms but also in their underlying airway hyper-reactivity when they lived in mite-allergen-free hospital rooms.
Cloosterman SG, Hofland ID, Lukassen HG, Wieringa MH, Folgering HTh, van der Heide S, Brunekreef B, van Schayck CP
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 1997 Sep;100(3):313-9
Summary: Patients with dust mite allergy who did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of asthma had a decrease in disturbed sleep, breathlessness and peak flow with dust mite avoidances measures compared with controls, suggesting that such avoidance measures might prevent or delay the development of asthma.
Ehnert B, Lau-Schadendorf S, Weber A, Buettner P, Schou C, Wahn U
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 1992 Jul;90(1):135-8
Summary: This important study showed that children with asthma and mite allergy had a decrease in airway reactivity after taking dust mite avoidance measures in their homes, including the use of impermeable mattress encasings.
Results of a home-based environmental intervention among urban children with asthma
Morgan, W.J., Crain, E.F., Gruchalla, R.S. et al.
The New England Journal of Medicine. 2004; 351: 1068–1080
Summary: After evaluating provoking factors with a history and testing, environmental interventions were instituted in half of the homes of 937 children with allergic asthma. Measures included, as appropriate, impermeable mattress and pillow covers, a HEPA vacuum cleaner, cockroach extermination, and avoidance of second-hand cigarette smoke. There was a decrease in the number of days of wheezing in the environmental modification group, comparable in magnitude to the effect of inhaled steroids.
Related Allergy Medical References
- Pillow and Mattress Encasings
- Laundering of Blankets and Clothing
- Cat and Dog Dander Allergy
- Washing of Pets
- Survival of dust mites in vacuum storage bags (129 K PDF)
- Ten minutes in a clothes dryer kills all mites in blankets (122 K PDF)
- Nonwoven in contrast to woven mattress encasings accumulate mite and cat allergen (84 K PDF)
- The Pancake Syndrome (Oral Mite Anaphylaxis) by ingestion and inhalation in a 52 year old woman in the northeastern United States (60 K PDF)
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