Asthma in the Delta Region of Arkansas: Characterization of Disease and Impact of Environmental Factors
Asthma in the Delta Region of Arkansas: Characterization of Disease and Impact of Environmental Factors
The purpose of the study is to evaluate asthma and examine the homes of children with asthma
 living in rural areas of the state. This study is being done to give investigators more
 information about the presence of allergens and endotoxin in the homes of children with
 asthma living in the delta region of Arkansas.
Asthma is the most common chronic disease of children and disproportionately affects minority
 and low-income children. Current pediatric asthma research in this high-risk group focuses on
 children living in inner-city environments. Low-income, minority children with asthma from
 non-urban locales have not been studied extensively. The specific aims of the study will
 examine the impact of home environmental exposure to endotoxin on asthma severity and atopy
 status in the rural setting among predominately African American, low-income asthmatics. This
 study will answer several research questions. The first question involves the relationship
 between asthma severity and exposure to endotoxin among rural children at high risk for
 increased morbidity and mortality. Second, the relationship between atopy and endotoxin
 exposure has been the subject of recent debates among asthma researchers. The hygiene
 hypothesis suggest that the recent rise in atopic disease in Westernized societies is due to
 decreased microbial burden. Last data on atopy and aeroallergen exposure among high-risk
 rural asthmatics will be critical in the design and implementation of future intervention
 programs.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  English speaking participants aged 4-17 years from four rural schools with physician
 diagnosed asthma or symptoms of asthma in the previous 12 months (coughing, wheezing,
 chest tightness, shortness of breath) (per parental or legal guardian report) and
 current taking prescribed medications for asthma such as inhalers, syrup or breathing
 machine.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Children with significant underlying respiratory disease other than asthma (such as
 cystic fibrosis) or significant co-morbid conditions such as severe developmental
 delay or cerebral palsy will be excluded from the study.