Department of Environmental Medicine and Behavioral Science, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, 377-2 Ohnohigashi, Osakasayama, 589-8511, Japan.
Department of Environmental Health, Osaka Institute of Public Health, Osaka, 537-0025, Japan.
Environ Health Prev Med. 2018 Oct 24;23(1):52. doi: 10.1186/s12199-018-0743-y.
Chemical intolerance is a widespread public health problem characterized by symptoms that reportedly result from low-level exposure to chemicals. Although several studies have reported factors related to chemical intolerance in adults, the impact of family members has not been reported. In the present study, we investigated the background factors related to chemical intolerance in family members and parent-child relationships.
We distributed a self-reported questionnaire to 4325 mothers who were invited to visit the Kishiwada Health Center in Kishiwada City, Osaka, between January 2006 and December 2007 for the regular health checkup of their three-and-a-half-year-old children.
The prevalence of chemical intolerance in the 3-year-old children was almost one eighteenth of that reported by their mothers. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that cold sensitivity [odds ratio (OR), 1.89; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04-3.44], past bronchial asthma (OR, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.46-5.53), and any past allergies (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.36-3.60) were significantly associated with chemical intolerance in the mother. The presence of indoor cat during childhood (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.08-3.69) was significantly associated with chemical intolerance in the mother; however, the association was weak compared with cold sensitivity and past asthma and allergies. The current chemical intolerance of the mother was significantly associated with allergic rhinitis (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.19-4.53), bronchial asthma (OR, 3.66; 95% CI, 2.00-6.69), and chronic bronchitis (OR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.04-13.03) in her 3-year-old child.
The results suggest that inherent physical constitution and childhood housing environment are associated with a risk of acquiring chemical intolerance. Children of mothers with chemical intolerance have a possible risk of respiratory hypersensitivity or inflammation. Further investigation is recommended to determine the inherent physical constitution and background environmental factors associated with the risk of acquiring chemical intolerance. The impact of having mothers with chemical intolerance on the health of children also requires further study.
化学敏感是一种广泛存在的公共健康问题，其特征是据称由低水平接触化学物质引起的症状。尽管几项研究报告了成年人与化学敏感有关的因素，但家庭成员的影响尚未报道。在本研究中，我们调查了与家庭成员和亲子关系有关的化学敏感的背景因素。
我们向 4325 名母亲分发了一份自我报告问卷，这些母亲应邀于 2006 年 1 月至 2007 年 12 月期间在大阪岸和田市的岸和田健康中心进行三岁半孩子的定期健康检查。
三岁孩子的化学敏感发生率几乎是其母亲报告的十八分之一。多变量逻辑回归分析显示，冷敏感性[比值比（OR），1.89；95%置信区间（CI），1.04-3.44]、既往支气管哮喘（OR，2.84；95%CI，1.46-5.53）和任何既往过敏（OR，2.21；95%CI，1.36-3.60）与母亲的化学敏感显著相关。儿童时期室内养猫（OR，1.99；95%CI，1.08-3.69）与母亲的化学敏感显著相关；然而，与冷敏感性和既往哮喘和过敏相比，这种关联较弱。母亲目前的化学敏感与 3 岁孩子的过敏性鼻炎（OR，2.32；95%CI，1.19-4.53）、支气管哮喘（OR，3.66；95%CI，2.00-6.69）和慢性支气管炎（OR，3.69；95%CI，1.04-13.03）显著相关。
结果表明，固有体质和儿童住房环境与发生化学敏感的风险有关。母亲有化学敏感的孩子可能有呼吸过敏或炎症的风险。建议进一步研究确定与化学敏感风险相关的固有体质和背景环境因素。母亲有化学敏感对孩子健康的影响也需要进一步研究。
