Brunekreef B, Groot B, Hoek G
Department of Environmental Health, University of Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Int J Epidemiol. 1992 Apr;21(2):338-42. doi: 10.1093/ije/21.2.338.
The relationship between pet ownership and respiratory allergy and symptoms was investigated in a population of 3344 Dutch children of 6-12 years old. Pet ownership was defined by the presence of cats, dogs, birds and/or rodents in the home. The reported prevalence of respiratory allergy and symptoms was lower among children of current pet owners than among children of parents who owned no pets. When past pet ownership was taken into account, however, a different picture emerged. The lowest prevalence of respiratory allergy and symptoms was found in children of current pet owners who had no pets in the past. The next lowest prevalence was found in children of current pet owners who had had pets in the past also. The next highest prevalence was found in children who never had pets in their life. The highest prevalence of reported pet allergy, chronic cough, wheeze, attacks of shortness of breath with wheezing, and doctor-diagnosed asthma was found in children who had pets in the past but not anymore. Past cat ownership especially was associated with a high prevalence of pet allergy and doctor-diagnosed asthma. Almost 2% of the population reported to never have owned pets for health reasons, and more than 12% reported removing pets from the home for health reasons in the past. These results show that selective avoidance and removal of pets leads to distortions of cross-sectional associations between pet ownership and respiratory allergy and disease among children.
在3344名6至12岁的荷兰儿童群体中，研究了养宠物与呼吸道过敏及症状之间的关系。养宠物的定义为家中有猫、狗、鸟和/或啮齿动物。当前养宠物儿童的呼吸道过敏及症状报告患病率低于父母不养宠物的儿童。然而，当考虑过去养宠物的情况时，出现了不同的情况。呼吸道过敏及症状患病率最低的是当前养宠物但过去没有养过宠物的儿童。患病率次低的是当前养宠物且过去也养过宠物的儿童。患病率次高的是一生中从未养过宠物的儿童。报告的宠物过敏、慢性咳嗽、喘息、伴有喘息的呼吸急促发作以及医生诊断为哮喘的患病率最高的是过去养过宠物但现在不再养的儿童。过去养猫尤其与宠物过敏和医生诊断为哮喘的高患病率相关。近2%的人群报告因健康原因从未养过宠物，超过12%的人报告过去因健康原因将宠物移出家门。这些结果表明，选择性地避免和移除宠物会导致儿童中养宠物与呼吸道过敏及疾病之间横断面关联的扭曲。
