Persistent cat ownership and asthma in a longitudinal study of Puerto Rican youth.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epidemiologic studies have reported conflicting findings for cat or dog exposure and childhood asthma. No study has evaluated whether persistent pet exposure from early life to school age is associated with asthma or allergic sensitization in youth.

Objective

To evaluate whether persistent ownership of a cat or a dog throughout childhood is associated with asthma in Puerto Rican youth, a group disproportionately affected with asthma.

Methods

Prospective study of 384 youth who completed a baseline visit at ages 6 to 14 years and a second visit at ages 9 to 20 years. Persistent cat or dog ownership was defined as ownership of a cat or a dog in early life (during pregnancy or the first year of life) at either study visit (at school age). An allergen-specific I

SUBMITTER: Mishra PE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11605777 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature