With recent claims that Scotland has the world's worst record for asthma in children, the Departments of Respiratory Medicine and General Practice at the University of Glasgow, are seeking volunteers aged between 16-60 to take part in a study which could improve the health of asthma sufferers.

Doctors from the University will conduct research at Monklands General Hospital. Volunteers will not change any inhaler medication but instead a team of architects from the University of Strathclyde will improve the ventilation of 150 homes across Lanarkshire. As there has been a good response from the private sector, the study team is keen to have more volunteers from homes owned by North Lanarkshire Council.

Many patients with asthma are allergic to house dust mite. Improving ventilation has been shown to reduce dust mite levels. It is hoped that, by removing the dust mites from homes, wheeze and breathlessness will improve.

"Asthma is the most common chronic disease in Scotland and house dust mite is a common trigger. The introduction of central heating and fitted carpets over the last 20 years has provided the perfect climate for the house must mite to thrive. We hope that this study will provide an effective way to reduce dust mites and improve asthma," claims Dr Gillian Vallance Clinical Research Fellow.

"The main reason Scotland has the highest prevalence of asthma is due to poor indoor air quality in our dwellings. Mechanical heat recovery ventilation systems can provide pre-warmed fresh air and reduce indoor pollution and humidity, inhibiting dust mite activity," explains Dr Stirling Howieson at the Department of Architecture and Building Science at the University of Strathclyde.

All volunteers will have their carpets steam-cleaned and new allergy bedding. A ventilation unit will be fitted in the loft. Half of the units will be switched on at the beginning of the study. The other half will be switched on in 12 months time and the asthma will be compared between the two groups over that year.

All volunteers will have allergy and breathing tests at Monklands General Clinic to see if they are suitable. They will then be reviewed at clinic every 3 months to see if their asthma is improving.

The Research Team would be delighted to discuss the details of the study on the phone, send more information in the post or make appointments for those interested at the clinic. Those interested should contact the department of General Practice on 0141 330-8350.

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

For more details please contact the University of Glasgow Press Officer Mike Findlay on 0141 330-8593 or email: m.findlay@admin.gla.ac.uk, or Dr Gillian Vallance, Clinical Research Fellow at the Department of General Practice, on 0141 330 8350 or email: gillian@grvallance.fsnet.co.uk.

First published: 23 February 2004