Executive Summary: Allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy are more common among people with atopy. Atopy or sensitization (individual or family tendency to become sensitized and produce specific Immunoglobulin E against common allergens) tends to start mainly at early ages such as childhood and currently affects 20% of the world's population.
In recent decades there has been an increase in atopy and allergic diseases, which could be explained by the interrelationships between predisposing genetic factors with certain environmental conditions such as: (i) internal climatic characteristics of buildings, (ii) meteorological, and (iii) external environmental. In Ecuador, data on the prevalence of atopy or allergic diseases are scarce, and no study has addressed the interrelationships of these pathologies with environmental conditions. Therefore, the general objective of the present study is to analyze and represent mathematically and graphically the interrelationships between the internal climatic, meteorological and environmental characteristics with the sensitization to inhalants and allergic diseases in children from 3 to 5 years old who attend initial education centers. of the urban and peri-urban areas of Cuenca. An observational cross-sectional study will be carried out in a sample of 561 children from 30 initial education centers. In children, the following will be measured: (i) Atopy through immediate reading skin tests using standardized aeroallergen extracts, and (ii) allergic diseases (asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis) through the application of validated surveys (ISAAC) to parents or representatives of children. The environmental conditions to be measured are: (i) the indoor microclimate in the initial education centers, evaluated by measurements of climatic parameters in situ and questionnaires on physical and pathological characteristics, and (ii) ambient air quality and meteorological conditions, through information on PM10, ozone, vegetation index and ambient temperature from satellite images or existing monitoring networks or meteorological stations in the city. Continuous variables will be expressed as means or means with mean deviation or interquartile range. In the cases that apply, the results will be compared with current regulations. Finally, the information collected in the various components of the study will be stored in relational databases that allow the union of tables through primary and foreign keys, to later be used in the creation of the Web computer system. The expected results are: (i) the creation of the Web computer system that will allow the analysis and visualization of interrelationships between the internal climatic, meteorological and environmental characteristics with sensitization to inhalants and allergic diseases (ii) Materials for scientific dissemination (drafting of recommendations for avoid factors triggering allergic disease, posters, oral presentations, draft articles and) and non-scientific (reports, discussions), and (iii) databases on the prevalence of atopy and allergic diseases in children, on characteristics of the indoor microclimate of the initial education centers, and on ambient air quality and weather conditions. Additionally, the web geoportal with the information obtained will serve as a tool for disseminating results and to support health policies in terms of disease prevention and environmental quality. Finally, regarding the expected long-term results, the information and expertise of the researchers generated from this project allow i) the creation/entry into potential collaborative networks with researchers from other universities to share and provide feedback on scientific information, and ii) establish the first approaches with authorities from government institutions to share health recommendations and support the creation of technical standards for good practices for healthy buildings.
General Objective: Represent mathematically and graphically the interrelationships between the internal climatic, meteorological and environmental characteristics with sensitization to inhalants and allergic diseases in initial education centers in the urban and peri-urban areas of Cuenca.
Specific objectives:
- To characterize the ambient air quality and the meteorological conditions around the initial education centers.
- Evaluate characteristics of the interior microclimate of relevance for sensitization to allergens and allergic diseases in initial education centers.
- To determine the prevalence of sensitization to aeroallergens and allergic diseases in children aged 3-5 years.
- Create a web computer system for the analysis and visualization of interrelationships between internal climatic, meteorological and environmental characteristics with sensitization to inhalants and allergic diseases.
Participating Institutions:
UDA, UC, ICU.
Participants:
Project Director Claudia Rosana Rodas Espinoza
- Claudia Rosana Rodas Espinoza
- Miriann Alexandra Mora Verdugo
- Vivian Alejandra Neira Molina
- Dolores Susana Andrade Tenesaca
- Angelica Maria Ochoa
- Diana Morillo Argudo
- Andrea Parra
- Diana Orellana
Awarded budget: $36375
Project status: In progress.
