Prevalence and incidence of respiratory symptoms in relationship to indoor dampness: the RHINE study

• Published in: Thorax
• Main Authors: Gunnbjörnsdóttir, María Ingibjörg, Franklin, Karl A, Norback, Dan, Björnsson, Eythor, Gislason, David, Lindberg, Eva, Svanes, Cecillie, Omenaas, Ernst, Norrman, Eva, Jogi, Rain, Jensen, Erik Juel, Dahlman-Höglund, Anna, Janson, Christer
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2006
• Subjects: Papers; Norway; Iceland
• Online Access: http://thorax.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/thx.2005.057430v1; https://doi.org/10.1136/thx.2005.057430

Background : An association between indoor dampness and respiratory symptoms has been reported, but dampness as a risk factor for onset or remission of respiratory symptoms and asthma is not well documented. Method : This follow-up study included 16,190 subjects from the Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Estonia, which had participated in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS I). Eight years later, the same subjects answered a postal questionnaire that included questions on respiratory symptoms and indicators of indoor dampness. Results : Subjects living in "damp" housing (18%) had a significantly (p<0.001) higher prevalence of wheeze (19.1% vs. 26.0%), nocturnal breathlessness (4.4% vs. 8.4%), nocturnal cough (27.2% vs. 36.5%), productive cough (16.6 % vs. 22.3%) and asthma (6.0% vs. 7.7%). These associations remained significant after adjusting for possible confounders. Indoor dampness was a risk factor for onset of respiratory symptoms but not for asthma onset in the longitudinal analysis (OR 1.13: 95% CI: 0.92-1.40). Remission of nocturnal symptoms was less common in "damp" homes (OR 0.84: 95% CI: 0.73-0.97). Conclusions : Subjects living in "damp" housing had a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms and asthma. Onset of respiratory symptom was more common and remission of nocturnal respiratory symptoms was less common in subjects living in "damp" housing.