The Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) birth cohort study: Design, methods, and study population

James E. Gern; Cynthia M. Visness; Peter J. Gergen; Robert A. Wood; Gordon R. Bloomberg; George T. O'Connor; Meyer Kattan; Hugh A. Sampson; Frank R. Witter; Megan T. Sandel; Wayne G. Shreffler; Rosalind J. Wright; Samuel J. Arbes; William W. Busse

doi:10.1186/1471-2466-9-17

The Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) birth cohort study: Design, methods, and study population

James E. Gern, Cynthia M. Visness, Peter J. Gergen, Robert A. Wood, Gordon R. Bloomberg, George T. O'Connor, Meyer Kattan, Hugh A. Sampson, Frank R. Witter, Megan T. Sandel, Wayne G. Shreffler, Rosalind J. Wright, Samuel J. Arbes, William W. Busse

School of Medicine

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Abstract

Background: The incidence and morbidity of wheezing illnesses and childhood asthma is especially high in poor urban areas. This paper describes the study design, methods, and population of the Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) study, which was established to investigate the immunologic causes of asthma among inner-city children. Methods and Results: URECA is an observational prospective study that enrolled pregnant women in central urban areas of Baltimore, Boston, New York City, and St. Louis and is following their offspring from birth through age 7 years. The birth cohort consists of 560 inner-city children who have at least one parent with an allergic disease or asthma, and all families live in areas in which at least 20% of the population has incomes below the poverty line. In addition, 49 inner-city children with no parental history of allergies or asthma were enrolled. The primary hypothesis is that specific urban exposures in early life promote a unique pattern of immune development (impaired antiviral and increased Th2 responses) that increases the risk of recurrent wheezing and allergic sensitization in early childhood, and of asthma by age 7 years. To track immune development, cytokine responses of blood mononuclear cells stimulated ex vivo are measured at birth and then annually. Environmental assessments include allergen and endotoxin levels in house dust, pre- and postnatal maternal stress, and indoor air nicotine and nitrogen dioxide. Nasal mucous samples are collected from the children during respiratory illnesses and analyzed for respiratory viruses. The complex interactions between environmental exposures and immune development will be assessed with respect to recurrent wheeze at age 3 years and asthma at age 7 years. Conclusion: The overall goal of the URECA study is to develop a better understanding of how specific urban exposures affect immune development to promote wheezing illnesses and asthma.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	17
Journal	BMC pulmonary medicine
Volume	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2466-9-17
State	Published - May 8 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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10.1186/1471-2466-9-17

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Gern, J. E., Visness, C. M., Gergen, P. J., Wood, R. A., Bloomberg, G. R., O'Connor, G. T., Kattan, M., Sampson, H. A., Witter, F. R., Sandel, M. T., Shreffler, W. G., Wright, R. J., Arbes, S. J., & Busse, W. W. (2009). The Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) birth cohort study: Design, methods, and study population. BMC pulmonary medicine, 9, Article 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2466-9-17

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title = "The Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) birth cohort study: Design, methods, and study population",

abstract = "Background: The incidence and morbidity of wheezing illnesses and childhood asthma is especially high in poor urban areas. This paper describes the study design, methods, and population of the Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) study, which was established to investigate the immunologic causes of asthma among inner-city children. Methods and Results: URECA is an observational prospective study that enrolled pregnant women in central urban areas of Baltimore, Boston, New York City, and St. Louis and is following their offspring from birth through age 7 years. The birth cohort consists of 560 inner-city children who have at least one parent with an allergic disease or asthma, and all families live in areas in which at least 20% of the population has incomes below the poverty line. In addition, 49 inner-city children with no parental history of allergies or asthma were enrolled. The primary hypothesis is that specific urban exposures in early life promote a unique pattern of immune development (impaired antiviral and increased Th2 responses) that increases the risk of recurrent wheezing and allergic sensitization in early childhood, and of asthma by age 7 years. To track immune development, cytokine responses of blood mononuclear cells stimulated ex vivo are measured at birth and then annually. Environmental assessments include allergen and endotoxin levels in house dust, pre- and postnatal maternal stress, and indoor air nicotine and nitrogen dioxide. Nasal mucous samples are collected from the children during respiratory illnesses and analyzed for respiratory viruses. The complex interactions between environmental exposures and immune development will be assessed with respect to recurrent wheeze at age 3 years and asthma at age 7 years. Conclusion: The overall goal of the URECA study is to develop a better understanding of how specific urban exposures affect immune development to promote wheezing illnesses and asthma.",

author = "Gern, {James E.} and Visness, {Cynthia M.} and Gergen, {Peter J.} and Wood, {Robert A.} and Bloomberg, {Gordon R.} and O'Connor, {George T.} and Meyer Kattan and Sampson, {Hugh A.} and Witter, {Frank R.} and Sandel, {Megan T.} and Shreffler, {Wayne G.} and Wright, {Rosalind J.} and Arbes, {Samuel J.} and Busse, {William W.}",

note = "Funding Information: This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, under Contracts number NO1-AI-25496 and NO1-AI-25482, and from the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health, under grants RR00052, M01RR00533, M01RR00071, and 5UL1RR024992-02.",

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doi = "10.1186/1471-2466-9-17",

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T1 - The Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) birth cohort study

T2 - Design, methods, and study population

AU - Gern, James E.

AU - Visness, Cynthia M.

AU - Gergen, Peter J.

AU - Wood, Robert A.

AU - Bloomberg, Gordon R.

AU - O'Connor, George T.

AU - Kattan, Meyer

AU - Sampson, Hugh A.

AU - Witter, Frank R.

AU - Sandel, Megan T.

AU - Shreffler, Wayne G.

AU - Wright, Rosalind J.

AU - Arbes, Samuel J.

AU - Busse, William W.

N1 - Funding Information: This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, under Contracts number NO1-AI-25496 and NO1-AI-25482, and from the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health, under grants RR00052, M01RR00533, M01RR00071, and 5UL1RR024992-02.

PY - 2009/5/8

Y1 - 2009/5/8

N2 - Background: The incidence and morbidity of wheezing illnesses and childhood asthma is especially high in poor urban areas. This paper describes the study design, methods, and population of the Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) study, which was established to investigate the immunologic causes of asthma among inner-city children. Methods and Results: URECA is an observational prospective study that enrolled pregnant women in central urban areas of Baltimore, Boston, New York City, and St. Louis and is following their offspring from birth through age 7 years. The birth cohort consists of 560 inner-city children who have at least one parent with an allergic disease or asthma, and all families live in areas in which at least 20% of the population has incomes below the poverty line. In addition, 49 inner-city children with no parental history of allergies or asthma were enrolled. The primary hypothesis is that specific urban exposures in early life promote a unique pattern of immune development (impaired antiviral and increased Th2 responses) that increases the risk of recurrent wheezing and allergic sensitization in early childhood, and of asthma by age 7 years. To track immune development, cytokine responses of blood mononuclear cells stimulated ex vivo are measured at birth and then annually. Environmental assessments include allergen and endotoxin levels in house dust, pre- and postnatal maternal stress, and indoor air nicotine and nitrogen dioxide. Nasal mucous samples are collected from the children during respiratory illnesses and analyzed for respiratory viruses. The complex interactions between environmental exposures and immune development will be assessed with respect to recurrent wheeze at age 3 years and asthma at age 7 years. Conclusion: The overall goal of the URECA study is to develop a better understanding of how specific urban exposures affect immune development to promote wheezing illnesses and asthma.

AB - Background: The incidence and morbidity of wheezing illnesses and childhood asthma is especially high in poor urban areas. This paper describes the study design, methods, and population of the Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) study, which was established to investigate the immunologic causes of asthma among inner-city children. Methods and Results: URECA is an observational prospective study that enrolled pregnant women in central urban areas of Baltimore, Boston, New York City, and St. Louis and is following their offspring from birth through age 7 years. The birth cohort consists of 560 inner-city children who have at least one parent with an allergic disease or asthma, and all families live in areas in which at least 20% of the population has incomes below the poverty line. In addition, 49 inner-city children with no parental history of allergies or asthma were enrolled. The primary hypothesis is that specific urban exposures in early life promote a unique pattern of immune development (impaired antiviral and increased Th2 responses) that increases the risk of recurrent wheezing and allergic sensitization in early childhood, and of asthma by age 7 years. To track immune development, cytokine responses of blood mononuclear cells stimulated ex vivo are measured at birth and then annually. Environmental assessments include allergen and endotoxin levels in house dust, pre- and postnatal maternal stress, and indoor air nicotine and nitrogen dioxide. Nasal mucous samples are collected from the children during respiratory illnesses and analyzed for respiratory viruses. The complex interactions between environmental exposures and immune development will be assessed with respect to recurrent wheeze at age 3 years and asthma at age 7 years. Conclusion: The overall goal of the URECA study is to develop a better understanding of how specific urban exposures affect immune development to promote wheezing illnesses and asthma.

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The Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) birth cohort study: Design, methods, and study population

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