Babies exposed to higher levels of dog allergens in early life may have a significantly reduced risk of developing asthma by age five as well as improved lung function. The findings come from the Canadian abstract, “Association of Early-Life Dust Allergens and Endotoxin With Childhood Asthma and Lung Function: An Analysis of the CHILD Study,” recently presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress in Amsterdam.
The research, led by Makiko Nanishi, MD, and presented by Jacob McCoy, MD, with The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, analyzed data from 1,050 children. Researchers collected dust samples from their homes around the time the children were three months of age and tested them for common indoor allergens, including Can f1 (from dogs), Fel d1 (from cats) and bacterial endotoxins.
“Allergens that children are exposed to early in life, while their immune system is still developing, are a potential modifiable risk factor for developing asthma later in life,” Dr. McCoy told Healio. “Previous studies have shown inconsistent results on the impact of indoor allergens on future risk. We wanted to leverage Canada’s largest birth cohort to try to answer this question.”
By age five, 6.6% of the children had developed asthma. However, those exposed to higher levels of Can f1 had a 48% lower risk of developing the condition. These children also showed significantly better lung function, as measured by forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), regardless of whether they developed asthma.
The study also revealed a gene-environment interaction. Children with certain genetic profiles (measured using polygenic scores) experienced different effects from allergen exposure, suggesting that genetics may influence how environmental factors like pet allergens impact lung development. The study did not find similar protective effects from cat allergens or endotoxins.
“This study adds new meaning to the phrase, ‘dogs are man’s best friend,’” said Dr. McCoy.
The abstract was presented during the ERS Congress session, “Pediatric Asthma: Important Novel Insights Into Mechanism, Diagnosis and Management.”
