Cohort studies
The research on several European-wide population cohorts will emphasize on the long term health impacts of biological agents. Exposure data from different time points during life is combined with the comprehensive information on children’s and adults’ health already collected in these cohorts.
The existing birth cohorts enable the studying of long term effects of biological indoor exposures in early life on respiratory health and allergy. There are four European birth cohorts that will be exploited in this study: LISA in Munich, Germany, PIAMA in The Netherlands, INMA in the Menorca Island and LUKAS in Finland. Approximately 500 subjects were recruited in INMA and LUKAS, and 4000 in LISA and PIAMA and allergens and endotoxin have so far been analysed in the dust samples collected at early age. Health outcomes measured in all the cohorts are asthma, infections, respiratory and allergic symptoms on a yearly basis, specific IgE and prick test results for common aeroallergens, as well as reproductive outcomes (birth weight). During the HITEA project, microbial contaminants in the dust samples will be analysed to produce an equal set of data for all cohorts, in addition to collection of new dust samples and health data on later age of the children. The work is described in more detail in the descriptions of WP9.
The European-wide adult cohort ECRHS is also involved. ECRHS is a large adult population from more than 35 study centers in Europe. In the follow-up stage (ECRHS II), a sub-sample of the homes (ca. 200 per centre of 22 centers from 10 European countries) was inspected for visible damp and mold, and the settled house dust was sampled from participant’s mattress based on the standardized operating procedure. Exclusive data on a variety of observed and reported home characteristics and exposures and participants’ respiratory health status including standardized lung function measurements were collected. A random sample of dust samples collected will be analysed for their microbial contents using modern molecular methods and the data will be combined with the extensive health data already available. The work is described in more detail in the descriptions of WP10.
The existing birth cohorts enable the studying of long term effects of biological indoor exposures in early life on respiratory health and allergy. There are four European birth cohorts that will be exploited in this study: LISA in Munich, Germany, PIAMA in The Netherlands, INMA in the Menorca Island and LUKAS in Finland. Approximately 500 subjects were recruited in INMA and LUKAS, and 4000 in LISA and PIAMA and allergens and endotoxin have so far been analysed in the dust samples collected at early age. Health outcomes measured in all the cohorts are asthma, infections, respiratory and allergic symptoms on a yearly basis, specific IgE and prick test results for common aeroallergens, as well as reproductive outcomes (birth weight). During the HITEA project, microbial contaminants in the dust samples will be analysed to produce an equal set of data for all cohorts, in addition to collection of new dust samples and health data on later age of the children. The work is described in more detail in the descriptions of WP9.
The European-wide adult cohort ECRHS is also involved. ECRHS is a large adult population from more than 35 study centers in Europe. In the follow-up stage (ECRHS II), a sub-sample of the homes (ca. 200 per centre of 22 centers from 10 European countries) was inspected for visible damp and mold, and the settled house dust was sampled from participant’s mattress based on the standardized operating procedure. Exclusive data on a variety of observed and reported home characteristics and exposures and participants’ respiratory health status including standardized lung function measurements were collected. A random sample of dust samples collected will be analysed for their microbial contents using modern molecular methods and the data will be combined with the extensive health data already available. The work is described in more detail in the descriptions of WP10.