Building age, type of indoor heating and the occurrence of allergic rhinitis and asthma

Structural materials and interior appliances are frequently mentioned as elements of modern buildings which may have an impact on the natural history of allergic diseases.

We hypothesized that the building age, the type of the heating system and the use of various indoor appliances can influence the occurrence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma.

The study group comprised 18,617 individuals. The tool used in the study was the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) and the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) study questionnaire, adapted to European conditions (Middle and Eastern Europe) and used as part of the study called "Implementation of a System for the Prevention and Early Detection of Allergic Diseases in Poland".

Questionnaire results indicated that people living in homes built in the years 1971-1990 had higher rates of allergic rhinitis (OR = 1.15025), which was correlated with clinical findings of increased occurrence of seasonal allergic rhinitis (OR = 1.60543). The leading factor contributing to the intensification of AR symptoms was the central heating (OR = 1.45358). As opposed to AR, people living in buildings with central heating less often declared asthma (OR = 0.8407). A clinical examination confirmed that central heating reduced the symptoms of moderate asthma (OR = 0.3524).

Increasing building age and certain indoor heating methods are important risk factors for the occurrence of allergic rhinitis and asthma.