Does exposure to cats or dogs in early life alter a child's risk of atopic dermatitis?

摘要

Many physicians are unsure of how to respond to parents who ask about lay-press articles stating that scientific studies have demonstrated that living with cats and dogs protects children from the development of allergic disease. For many years it was assumed that exposure to cats and dogs in infancy was associated with an increased risk of becoming allergic to these animals;1'2 however, during the past 10 years many studies have appeared challenging this assumption.Recent systematic reviews have demonstrated relatively consistent reductions in the risk of allergic sensitization or allergic disease in children with close contact with animals during infancy, whether the animals are farm animals or indoor pet cats or dogs.3"5 Each of these reviews analyzed 30 to 39 separate studies. One systematic review specifically examined cat and dog exposure in relationship to eczema and found evidence of protection related to both cat and dog exposures, with pooled OR of 0.79 (95% CI, 0.62-0.92) and 0.68 (95% CI, 0.53-0.87), respectively.