Reducing Dust Mites May Have Little Effect on Allergies

TOPLINE:

Methods for reducing house dust mite (HDM) allergens, such as cleaning, ventilation, and the use of bedding covers, demonstrated effectiveness in lowering dust and allergen concentrations; however, their impact on patient quality of life and symptom improvement was minimal.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 17 randomized clinical trials that investigated the efficacy of different interventions for reducing exposure to HDM allergens.
• The total amount of dust; concentrations of major HDM allergens (Der1, Der p1, Der p2, and Der f1); peak expiratory flow; respiratory, pulmonary, and nasal symptoms; exacerbations; and changes in quality of life were evaluated.

TAKEAWAY:

• The total amount of dust (mean difference [MD], −0.24; P < .001) and Der1 concentration (MD, −0.97; P = .02) were significantly reduced in the interventional groups compared with the control groups.
• The reductions in the concentrations of Der p1, Der p2, and Der f1 were not different in the intervention and control groups.
• Compared with the control group, the intervention groups did not show significant improvements in symptoms of asthma and allergic rhinitis or quality of life.

IN PRACTICE:

“HDM allergen avoidance methods are effective in reducing dust and Der1 concentrations, ” the authors wrote. “Despite the apparent efficacy of these approaches, in the end, they fail to alleviate symptoms of diseases, such as asthma and allergic rhinitis, or improve the quality of life of patients.”

SOURCE:

Rafał Pawliczak, MD, PhD, with the Medical University of Lodz in Lodz, Poland, was the corresponding author of the study, which was published online on March 16 in International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology.

LIMITATIONS:

The study evaluated different HDM allergen reduction methods together. In addition, the researchers converted data from the different trials to a similar format, which may have influenced the results.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by the Medical University of Lodz. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.