Can early household exposure influence the development of rhinitis symptoms in infancy? Findings from the PARIS birth cohort

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) has become the most prevalent chronic allergic disorder in childhood, and the role of environment has been questioned, particularly in early life.

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for rhinitis symptoms in infants included in the PARIS (Pollution and Asthma Risk: an Infant Study) birth cohort.

Methods: Infants were invited to participate at age 18 months in a health examination conducted by a pediatrician. Allergic rhinitis was defined as the presence of rhinitis symptoms (runny nose, blocked nose, sneezing in the absence of a cold) combined with biological atopy (elevated total immunoglobulin E [IgE], specific IgE, or eosinophilia) and nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) as symptoms without biological atopy. Information about indoor exposures and lifestyle was collected during a telephone interview when the child was 1 month of age. Risk factors for AR and NAR were studied by using a polytomous regression model.

Results: The prevalence of AR and NAR was 70/1,850 (3.8%) and 99/1,850 (5.4%), respectively. Allergic rhinitis and NAR did not share similar risk factors. Male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.99 [1.19-3.32]), parental history of AR (OR = 1.89 [1.16-3.08]), low socioeconomic class (OR = 2.23 [1.05-4.72] for low vs high level), and the presence of cockroaches in the home (OR = 3.15 [1.67-5.96]) were risk factors for AR. Conversely, the presence of particle-board furniture less than 12 months old in the child's bedroom was associated with an increased risk of NAR (OR = 1.87 [1.21-2.90]).

Conclusions: This study should raise awareness about the impact of indoor exposures, particularly with regard to cockroaches and particle-board furniture, because they could influence the occurrence of noninfectious rhinitis.