TY - JOUR T1 - Pet ownership and allergic sensitisation and asthma in childhood: findings from the EU Child Cohort Network JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2020.435 VL - 56 IS - suppl 64 SP - 435 AU - Angela Pinot de Moira AU - Katrine Strandberg-Larsen AU - Evelien Van Meel AU - Rosalie Mensink-Bout AU - Maja Popovic AU - Tim Cadman AU - Tiffany Yang AU - Johanna Thorbjørnsrud Nader AU - Rachel Foong AU - Agnieszka Jankowska AU - Theodosia Salika AU - Costanza Pizzi AU - Demetris Avraam AU - Ahmed Elhakeem AU - Aitana Lertxundi AU - Maribel Casas AU - Ana Esplugues AU - Marisa Estarlich AU - Jordi Sunyer AU - Debbie Lawlor AU - Jennifer Harris AU - Kinga Polańska AU - Barbara Heude AU - Rae-Chi Huang AU - Hazel Inskip AU - Vincent Jaddoe AU - Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen AU - Liesbeth Duijts Y1 - 2020/09/07 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/56/suppl_64/435.abstract N2 - Background: The relationship between early-life pet exposure on the development of allergic sensitisation and allergic diseases such as asthma remains uncertainAim: To study associations of furry pet (dog/cat/rodent/rabbit) exposure in pregnancy and infancy with the risk of aeroallergen sensitisation and asthma in childhoodMethods: We used data from 161,700 mothers and their children aged 6-13 years from 5 birth cohorts participating in the EU Child Cohort Network. Early-life furry pet exposure was determined using questionnaires administered in pregnancy or ≤3 years; aeroallergen sensitisation was assessed by skin prick test or measuring serum IgE; current doctor-diagnosed asthma was determined by questionnaire. Data were analysed using the federated analysis platform DataSHIELD, where data remain at each host institution and are analysed remotely. Two-stage logistic regression meta-analyses were used to examine the influence of furry pet exposure on allergic sensitisation and asthma.Results: Furry pet exposure ranged from 23% to 55% in pregnancy, and from 26% to 86% in infancy. In preliminary analysis, early-life pet exposure was associated with reduced odds of allergic sensitisation (OR=0.77, CI95%=0.62-0.97), and slightly reduced odds of asthma (OR=0.94, CI95%=0.89-1.00).Conclusions: From these preliminary results, there is some evidence for early-life pet exposure decreasing the odds of allergic sensitisation and asthma in childhood. Future analyses will include data from a further 7 cohorts and look specifically at dog and cat exposures and the influence of timing and number of pets, as well as whether sensitisation mediates associations between pet exposure and asthmaFootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 435.This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -