First author [ref.] | Location | Definition of exposure | Definition of outcome | Age# | Children n | OR central estimate (95% CI) | Type of estimate |
Antova [15] | Pollution and the Young Study, multiple locations | Visible mould | Current wheeze | 6–12 | 57099 | 1.43 (1.36–1.49) | aOR |
Mould ever | 1.44 (1.35–1.53) | ||||||
Recent mould | 1.46 (1.31–1.61) | ||||||
Dales [16] | Canada | No. of mould sites | Wheeze | 5–8 | 13495 | ||
0 versus 1 | 1.42 (1.26–1.59) | cOR | |||||
0 versus 2 | 1.73 (1.45–2.06) | cOR | |||||
Dong [17] | China | Visible mould | Current wheeze | 6–13 | 10784 | 1.65 (1.25–2.17) | aOR |
Spengler [19] | Russia | Presence of moulds | Wheeze | 8–12 | 5951 | 1.52 (1.19–1.94) | aOR |
Brunekreef [21] | USA | Mould/mildew (age 7–11 yrs) | Persistent wheeze (age 8–12 yrs) | 8–12 | 4625 | 1.79 (1.44–2.32) | aOR |
Emenius [36] | Sweden (BAMSE cohort) | Visible mould (age 1 yr) | Recurrent wheeze (age 2 yrs) | 1–2 | 4089 | 1.5 (1.0–2.22) | aOR |
Dong [22] | China | Visible mould | Current wheeze | 1–6 | 3945 | 2.07 (1.56–2.75) | aOR |
Brunekreef [23] | The Netherlands | Visible mould (1987) | Wheeze | 6–12 | 1051 | 1.34 (0.58–3.26) | aOR |
Visible mould (1989) | Wheeze | 3344 | 1.90 (1.41–2.54) | aOR | |||
Li [26] | Taiwan | Dampness and mould | Wheeze | 8–12 | 1340 | 1.20 (0.73–1.99) | aOR |
Strachan [37] | UK | Mould p.r. | Wheeze | 6.5–7.5 | 1000 | 3.70 (2.22–6.15) | cOR |
Mould i.r. | 330 | 3.25 (1.60–6.60) | cOR | ||||
Strachan [38] | UK | Mould in bedroom | Severe wheeze | 13–18 | 961 | 1.25 (0.67–2.31) | aOR |
Maier [28] | USA | Visible mould | Wheeze | 5–9 | 925 | 1.20 (0.70–1.90) | cPR |
Alper [39] | Turkey | Dampness and mould (age 7 yrs) | Persistent wheeze (age 0–6 yrs) | 0–7 | 858 | 2.53 (1.30–4.87) | cOR |
Early wheeze (age 0–3 yrs) | 2.37 (1.52–3.69) | cOR | |||||
Early transient wheeze | 2.28 (1.34–3.87) | cOR | |||||
Late-onset wheeze (age 3–6 yrs) | 2.46 (1.29–4.66) | cOR | |||||
Dijkstra [29] | The Netherlands | Damp stains and mould | Wheeze | 6–12 | 775 | 1.54 (0.59–4.00) | cOR |
Cho [40] | USA (Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study) | Mould class 2 versus 0 (age 8 months) | Recurrent wheeze (age 1 yr) | 8–12 months | 640 | 2.1 (1.2–3.6) | aOR |
Iossifova [12] | USA (Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study) | Visible mould (age 8 months) | Recurrent wheeze (age 1 yr) | 8–12 months | 574 | ||
Low versus none | 1.18 (0.73–1.91) | aOR | |||||
High versus none | 4.44 (1.36–12.05) | aOR | |||||
Schroer [41] | USA (Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study) | Mould exposure (age 8 months) | Wheezing (age 1 yr) | 8–24 months | 570 | 1.22 (0.79–1.86) | aOR |
Wheezing (age 2 yrs) | 2.12 (1.25–3.60) | aOR | |||||
Persistent wheezing (age 2 yrs) | 2.47 (1.27–4.80) | aOR | |||||
Iossifova [8] | USA (Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study) | Visible mould (age 8 months) | Wheezing with API (age 3 yrs) | 8 months–3 yrs | 483 | ||
Low versus none | 1.68 (0.96–2.94) | aOR | |||||
High versus none | 7.08 (2.22–12.60) | aOR | |||||
Karvonen [42] | Finland (Protection Against Allergy: Study in Rural Environments) | Mould spots (age 2 months) i.r. | DD wheezing (age 1 yr) | 2–12 months | 396 | 0.99 (0.38–2.58) | aOR |
Wheezing (age 1 yr) | 0.81 (0.31–2.12) | aOR | |||||
Visible mould (age 2 months) i.r. | DD wheezing (age 1 yr) | 1.39 (0.57–3.39) | aOR | ||||
Wheezing (age 1 yr) | 1.98 (0.90–4.35) | aOR | |||||
Mould in kitchen (age 2 months) i.r. | DD wheezing (age 1 yr) | 1.06 (0.41–2.71) | aOR | ||||
Wheezing (age 1 yr) | 1.96 (0.89–4.31) | aOR | |||||
Mould living area (age 2 months) i.r. | DD wheezing (age 1 yr) | 3.92 (1.54–10.00) | aOR | ||||
Wheezing (age 1 yr) | 1.22 (0.43–3.45) | aOR | |||||
Mould child’s room (age 2 months) i.r. | DD wheezing (age 1 yr) | 5.22 (1.48–18.35) | aOR | ||||
Wheezing (age 1 yr) | 1.92 (0.48–7.60) | aOR | |||||
Rosenbaum [43] | USA (Assessment of Urban Dwellings for Indoor Toxics) | Visible mould (age 3 months) i.r. | Wheeze (age 1 yr) | 3–12 months | 103 | 0.90 (0.35–2.29) | cOR |
aOR: adjusted odds ratio; cOR: crude odds ratio; p.r.: parental reported; i.r.: investigator reported; API: asthma predictive index; DD: physician-diagnosed. #: presented in yrs, unless otherwise stated. Data in bold were included within the meta-analysis.