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Asthma and Indoor Environment: Usefulness of a Global Allergen Avoidance Method on Asthma Control and Exposure to Molds

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Abstract

The usefulness and feasibility of a global allergens avoidance method with counselors visiting patients’ home for allergens measures and adapted advices were prospectively evaluated through asthma control and environment evaluation. Twenty seven patients were prospectively included and compared to a cohort of 30 control patients. The level of control of asthma at inclusion and after 1 year was evaluated by the clinical signs, the evolution of the FEV1, and the healthcare use. Environmental measurements included the fungal load of 5 surfaces of the dwellings and the evaluation of moisture. A significant clinical improvement in the population that benefited from the home counselors visit was observed compared to the baseline (p < 0.0001), as well as a decreased number of hospitalizations for asthma and of the consumption of anti-asthma drugs (p < 0.01). Dampness markers slightly improved with an improvement of the fungal loads in two-third of the dwellings.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank C. Feger, MD (EMIBiotech) for her editorial support in the preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Irset (Institut de Recherche en santé, environnement et travail) – UMR_S 1085, Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, 35000, Rennes, France

    Jean-Pierre Gangneux & Sylviane Chevrier

  2. Département de Médecine Générale, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France

    Matthieu Bouvrais

  3. Association Capt’air Bretagne, Dinan, France

    Sophie Frain

  4. Service de Pneumologie, Centre Hospitalier d’Orléans, Orléans, France

    Hugues Morel

  5. EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de Recherche en santé, environnement et travail) – UMR_S 1085, 35000, Rennes, France

    Séverine Deguen & Pierre Le Cann

  6. Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes, 2 rue Henri le Guilloux, 35033, Rennes Cedex 09, France

    Jean-Pierre Gangneux

Authors
  1. Jean-Pierre Gangneux
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  2. Matthieu Bouvrais
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  3. Sophie Frain
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  4. Hugues Morel
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  5. Séverine Deguen
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  6. Sylviane Chevrier
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  7. Pierre Le Cann
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All authors made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.

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Correspondence to Jean-Pierre Gangneux.

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Gangneux, JP., Bouvrais, M., Frain, S. et al. Asthma and Indoor Environment: Usefulness of a Global Allergen Avoidance Method on Asthma Control and Exposure to Molds. Mycopathologia 185, 367–371 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-019-00417-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-019-00417-9

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