STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aim of the study was to seek for a possible
association between the
incidence of
upper respiratory tract infections and
air temperature and
humidity in the home. DESIGN--Recordings of
temperature and relative
humidity were made in living rooms and
children's bedrooms over a six month period and related to
incidence of
upper respiratory tract infection. SETTING--The study was carried out in one
general practice of 10,000
patients.
PATIENTS--297
children aged 24-59 months were studied, selected in random order from the practice age-
sex register. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--
Temperature and
humidity recordings were made with thermohygrograph recorders over six days.
Upper respiratory tract infections were recorded (a) retrospectively over the previous 12 months, and (b) during the study period. Past
history of acute
otitis media and recent
family history of respiratory
infection were also obtained. No significant
association was found between the variables, although the bedrooms of
children with reported
upper respiratory tract infections were cooler overnight than those of non-infected
children (mean difference 0.8 degrees C, 95% confidence limits 0.7 degrees C). No
association was found between reported or recorded
upper respiratory tract infections and age or type of home,
family size, level of occupancy,
social class, or
smoking habits. Only 15
children (5%) were identified by their
parents as having had
asthma, but 58 (19.5%) had had a "wheezy
chest". A greater proportion of
children who wheezed slept in cooler bedrooms, had gas
fires rather than central
heating, and had more
smokers in the house. CONCLUSIONS--No
association between
upper respiratory tract infection and domestic
temperature or
humidity levels could be shown in this study. Since dampness is repeatedly presented as a
health risk, further study is required. (AU)