Cats Can Hamper Breathing Even in Non-Allergic

People with allergies to mold, dust mites -- but not cats -- showed airway trouble when felines around

By Carolyn Colwell
HealthDay Reporter

Related Encyclopedia • Allergic Rhinitis • Allergies • Allergies To Animals In Children • Allergy Immunotherapy More... Related Healthscout Videos Stents for Lungs? New Sinusitis Diagnosis Method Antibiotic Mist for Sinus Problems Building Strength for Lung Patients More... Related Animations • Allergy • Asthma More... Related Drug Information • Advair Diskus • Allegra • Allegra D • Clarinex More... Related News Articles • Most Asthmatics Aren't Getting Flu Shot • Traffic Pollution Puts Kids at Higher Allergy Risk • Autoimmune Disease Treatment May Not Dampen Immune System • Drug Effective Against Heart-Lung Disorder More...

MONDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Adults plagued by allergies can be affected by cat dander even if they aren't specifically allergic to felines, a new European study shows.

"Exposure to cats is more of a problem than was thought," said study author, Susan Chinn, a professor of medical statistics at the Imperial College, London.

Text Continues Below

---

Chinn, along with colleagues at 20 European centers, expected to find higher bronchial (airway) responsiveness in research subjects who were sensitized to cats.

What they didn't expect to find -- but did -- was a similar increase in airway reaction among subjects who weren't allergic to cats but were sensitive to three other common allergens: dust mites, mold or timothy grass.

"Bronchial responsiveness is a measure of the propensity of the airways to constrict," Chinn explained. "Although it's not synonymous with asthma, it is an indicator of airways [that are] likely to show an asthmatic response," she said.

Consequently, the study found that "cat allergen exposure at moderate levels may be harmful" to all adults with allergies, regardless of what their allergy triggers might be, Chinn said. "The clinical implication is that it is insufficient to test patients with asthma for cat sensitization," she said, since all allergic people "might benefit from reduced cat exposure."

The findings are published in the first July issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Simply having a cat in the house is a good example of moderate exposure, Chinn said, but it's not necessary. That's because even the presence of cats kept by others in the nearby community was enough to leave cat allergens in mattress dust from homes tested by researchers, she said.

Still, the study's findings would have to be replicated before the researchers could make any strong recommendations about cat ownership, Chinn added.

Page:  1 | 2 | 3 | Next >>