Early life microbial exposure and fractional exhaled nitric oxide in school-age children: a prospective birth cohort

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Lidia Casas1, Christina Tischer, Inge M Wouters

  • 1Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain. lcasas@creal.cat.

Environmental Health : a Global Access Science Source
|December 4, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Early exposure to bacterial endotoxin and dog ownership in childhood are linked to lower fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels. These findings suggest potential protective effects on respiratory health later in life.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Epidemiology
  • Immunology
  • Pediatric Respiratory Health

Background:

  • Inflammation is central to respiratory disease pathogenesis.
  • Early-life microbial exposures may influence immune development and long-term respiratory health.
  • Investigating these early exposures is crucial for understanding childhood respiratory conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the association between early-life microbial exposures and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) at school age.
  • To determine if indoor microbial agents and pet ownership in infancy impact later respiratory markers.
  • To provide insights into environmental factors affecting childhood respiratory well-being.

Main Methods:

  • Measured endotoxin, extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), and β(1,3)-D-glucan in dust from homes of infants in three European birth cohorts.
  • Collected data on home dampness and pet ownership via parental questionnaires.
  • Analyzed fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) at school age using multivariable regression and meta-analyses.

Main Results:

  • Lower FeNO levels were observed in children exposed to endotoxin at 2-3 months of age.
  • Children with reported dog ownership during the first two years of life also showed lower FeNO.
  • No significant associations were found between FeNO and early exposure to EPS, β(1,3)-D-glucan, dampness, or cat ownership.

Conclusions:

  • Early-life exposure to bacterial endotoxin and dog ownership are associated with reduced FeNO at school age.
  • These findings suggest a potential protective role of endotoxin and dog exposure on respiratory health.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms and clinical significance of these associations.
Abstract

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