Association of residential dampness and mold with respiratory tract infections and bronchitis: a meta-analysis

Table 3 Key results of the meta-analyses, with results of tests for heterogeneity

Health Outcome	All Studies		Studies Controlling for All Four Key Confounders
	Summary Estimate OR (95% CI)	p-Value Hetero-geneity	Summary Estimate OR (95% CI)	p-Value Hetero-geneity	Attributable Risk Proportion^#
Bronchitis	1.45 (1.34 - 1.56)	< 0.0001	1.45 (1.32 - 1.59)	0.12	8.3 - 18.4%
Respiratory infection group	1.44 (1.32 - 1.58)	< 0.0001	1.44 (1.31 - 1.59)	< 0.0001
Respiratory infections excluding otitis media	1.43 (1.31 - 1.56)	< 0.0001	1.40 (1.29-1.52)	< 0.0001
Respiratory infections excluding common cold and nonspecific upper respiratory infections	1.42 (1.26 - 1.60)	0.01	1.50 (1.32 - 1.70)	0.07	9.1 - 20%
Common cold or acute upper respiratory infection	1.38 (1.21 - 1.57)	0.009	1.38 (1.13 - 1.67)	0.002
Respiratory infections (children or infants)	1.48 (1.34 - 1.62)	0.16	1.48 (1.33 - 1.65)	0.09	8.8 - 19.4%
Respiratory infections (adults)	1.50 (1.22 - 1.83)	< 0.0001	1.49 (1.14 - 1.95)	< 0.0001

^# estimated for findings restricted to studies controlling for four key confounders and assuming a range of 20-50% of houses with dampness or mold; provided only for estimates with p-value for heterogeneity >0.05.

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