Limiting allergens may help prevent asthma

MAASTRICHT, Netherlands, July 9 (UPI) -- Dutch researchers advise limiting allergen exposure rather than targeting one trigger to prevent asthma.

The systematic review of studies, published in The Cochrane Library, suggests minimizing exposure to likely allergens may help parents delay disease development in children genetically predisposed to asthma.

"Breastfeeding and house dust mite reduction seemed to be the most important interventions used in the studies," lead review author Tanja Maas of Maastricht University Medical Center, the Netherlands, says in a statement.

"The food interventions focused on hydrolyzed formula as opposed to regular formula. The use of hydrolyzed formula was not shown to have any preventive effect. Breastfeeding, however, seemed to be very effective."

The researchers analyzed nine studies -- three took more than one approach to both dietary allergens and allergens involving breathing. The other six studies looked at one type of allergen reduction alone. Together the studies focused on 3,271 high-risk children who had at least one close relative with asthma.

"Allergies and asthma seem to be influenced by gene-environment interaction," Maas said. "This means that persons with a genetic susceptibility develop these diseases more often if they are exposed to specific environmental influences. The environmental causes are not totally clear. What we do know is that avoiding multiple allergen exposures seems to be helpful in the prevention of the disease."