Study casts doubt on allergens link to asthma

REDUCING levels of household allergens, such as cat fur and dust mites, is unlikely to have a major impact on cutting asthma and allergies in children, according to a new study.

Researchers in the last 20 years have claimed the risk of childhood respiratory allergies is linked to how strongly children are exposed to allergens in early life. But the latest research, published in the journal Thorax, casts doubt on how much influence early exposure to such allergens actually has on the risks of youngsters developing asthma or allergies.

The researchers, from the Imperial College School of Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute in London, based their conclusions on a study of 625 children in Ashford, Kent.