Reduction in mouse allergen exposure is associated with greater lung function growth

Current childhood asthma therapies have little effect on lung function trajectory. We sought to determine whether mouse allergen exposure reduction is associated with lung function growth in mouse-sensitized/exposed asthmatic children. Three hundred fifty mouse-sensitized/exposed asthmatic children (5-17 years old) were enrolled in a 1-year randomized trial of integrated pest management plus education versus education alone. Prebronchodilator/postbronchodilator spirometry was performed at baseline and 6 and 12 months, and bedroom floor mouse allergen levels were measured every 3 months. Mouse allergen reduction was defined as a 75% or greater decrease in mouse allergen levels from baseline. Treatment groups were combined for analyses because there were no differences in outcomes between groups. Changes in lung function over time were modeled, adjusting for age, sex, race, atopy, group, and bronchodilator reversibility and including an interaction term (allergen reduction*time). The study population was predominantly black (79.4%) and low income (66.3% [