Publications by authors named "C Luczynska"
Background: Inner city children make heavy use of accident and emergency (A&E) services for asthma. Developing strategies to reduce this requires a better understanding of the risk factors.
Methods: A case-control study was carried out of children with asthma living in south-east London: 1018 children who attended A&E for asthma over 1 year and 394 children who had not attended A&E for asthma over the previous year.
Background: Exposure to allergen may induce a modified T(H)2 response characterized by high IgG(4) levels, absence of IgE sensitization, and a decreased risk of allergic respiratory symptoms.
Objective: To assess the association of IgG(4) level with allergic respiratory symptoms in a community-based sample of adults.
Methods: Information on exposure to cats, respiratory symptoms, and mattress allergen levels was obtained from 2780 adults.
Background: Epidemiological studies have shown weak or inconsistent associations between ambient air pollutants and allergic sensitization. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether regional urban air pollution may partly explain the large variation in the prevalence of allergic sensitization across cities of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) II.
Methods: ECRHS is a cross-sectional survey initiated in 29 countries across Europe in the 1990s (ECRHS I) with a follow-up conducted 10 years later (ECRHS II).
Background: Several studies in European homes have described allergen levels from the house dust mite species Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and to a lesser extent Dermatophagoides farinae, but geographic comparisons of exposure levels and risk factors have been hampered by a lack of standardized methods.
Objective: To study the distribution and determinants of the major house dust mite allergens Der p 1 and Der f 1 in 10 European countries using a common protocol.
Methods: During home visits with 3580 participants of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II from 22 study centers, mattress dust was sampled and analyzed for Der p 1, Der f 1, and Der 2 allergen.
Background: Cat allergen level in settled house dust and its determinants in Europe are unknown.
Objective: The aim of this study is to quantify the level of cat allergens in mattress dust, to study its determinants, and to analyze the relationship with cat specific IgE on community level across European centers.
Methods: Trained field workers collected dust from approximately 3000 mattresses during home visits in 22 European Community Respiratory Health Survey II centers.