Respiratory allergies are on the rise!
For over thirty years, respiratory allergies are growing. While various hypotheses attempting to explain this increase, the management changes taking greater account of quality of life of patients.
In industrialized countries, the number of people suffering from allergic rhinitis is increasing steadily. A study published in 1995 showed that nearly 30% of the population is now affected as against 3.8% in 1968 …
1. Prime culprit: changes in lifestyle
“For an allergy appears, it takes several elements: a genetic and environmental supports a (rarely) or more allergens” said Dr. Isabella Annesi Maesano, the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM).
But a change in the genetic susceptibility in a few years seems unlikely, it is therefore the environmental hypothesis appears to be the most plausible. ”It is true that new allergens have appeared (plants and exotic fruits, some pollutants) and the frequency of some others has increased. But the main culprits are the same dust mites, pollen, cat dander are involved ninetimes out of ten. In addition, their concentration in the air do not seem higher than in the past from studies having measured “says Dr. Maesano. In addition to improved diagnosis, the doctor believes that the lifestyle is the main culprit: geographical mobility to regions rich in pollen, prolonged confinement in unventilated homes, automobile pollution, passive smoking, stress, lack of vitamins and obesity Playing as aggravating factors …
2. The thesis hygienist: a reality?
The hygiene hypothesis offers another explanation. In the newborn, the immune system has a predominance of Th2 lymphocytes that promote the production of proteins involved in allergy, before turning to an activity adapted to the fight against infections. But for this switch operates, the agency may need in the first months of life react to infections. Although not proven, several studies argue in favor of the hygiene hypothesis: children in day care have more infections but fewer allergies, babies born by caesarean section has not been in contact with more germs vaginal allergies …
In addition, premature infants more likely to be saved could present sensibilities more important: there is a link between asthma and prematurity. Several life events in utero could also affect the development of individual susceptibility (taking hormones and drugs, fetal distress …). So many reasons could explain the boom of allergies.
Tags: Allergy, respiratory allergy