Is environmental control effective for prevention and treatment of asthma?

Abstract

Asthma is an allergic disease and should be treated with environmental control as well as with medication. Environmental factors related to the onset and exacerbation of asthma include antigens such as house dust mites, pet dander, and mold. Environmental control has been reported to reduce emergency hospital attendance with acute exacerbations and to reduce dust mite allergen level, a major antigen of asthma. Environmental control is also effective for patients who had no sensitization to dust mites. A systematic review of environmental control concluded that a combination of measures for environmental control improved asthma outcomes. Some studies support the therapeutic effect of environmental control on pet dander and mold antigens. In terms of prevention of asthma, some data indicated the possibility that environmental control could prevent asthma onset, although we could not find any interventional study which directly evaluated asthma onset.