Cockroach Allergen Reduction by Extermination Alone in Low-Income, Urban Homes: A Randomized Control Trial

Completed · Phase 1

Conditions studied: Allergens

In brief

The most important risk factor for asthma in inner-city homes may be exposure to cockroach allergen. In a previous study, the researchers reported that extermination alone, without resident education or professional cleaning, reduced allergen levels in inner-city homes. This result contradicted earlier findings by other scientists. This study seeks to confirm the researchers' earlier results, and to determine how intensive an effective extermination must be. The study will last one year and include 60 infested, multi-unit rental homes in North Carolina, divided into three groups. In the Treatment-1 group, researchers from North Carolina State University will set insecticide bait in initial and follow-up visits, as the highest standard for treatment. In the Treatment-2 group, one of five commercial pest-control companies will be randomly assigned to treat each home according to a 12-month, pre-paid contract. The third group will be a control group that receives no extermination treatment. In all homes, researchers will periodically survey the residents, monitor cockroach numbers, and monitor allergen levels in dust samples. If this study is successful, it will be used to plan future asthma prevention trials.

Key facts

Study ID
NCT00341445
Run by
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
People needed
64
Starts
2004-08-12
Expected to finish
2007-02-12
Last updated by the study team
2018-04-05

Who can join

Age: 21 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

Where it is running

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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