THREAT: Testing Harms Related to Exposure to Allergenic and Epithelial Toxins
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Summary
Background: Allergic and inflammatory conditions have been increasing over the years. Many factors may play a role in this. Every day, people are exposed to pollution and chemicals in our foods, clothing, and all of the cleaning, hygiene, and other products we use. Studies have suggested there may be links between these environmental exposures and allergic and inflammatory illnesses. Researchers want to know more about how these exposures affect our health. Objective: To learn how everyday exposure to common substances affects people s health. Eligibility: Healthy people aged 18 to 80 years. Design: Participants will have 2 stays in the hospital. Each stay will last 7 days, and the stays will be spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart. During both stays, participants will remain confined to their room. They will eat only food from the menu, and they will use only provided products for personal care. (They may bring their own electronic devices, such as their phone and computer.) One stay will be in a pure room. Participants will breathe filtered air, eat unprocessed foods, and use personal care products with fewer chemicals. One stay will be in a room that allows exposure to common environmental chemicals. Some participants will be limited to only 1 type of exposure: chemicals thought to affect only skin, gut, or respiratory health. Some participants will be exposed to all 3 types. Participants will undergo testing. Blood, skin cell, urine, mouth swabs, and stool samples will be taken. They will have lung tests, smell tests, and tests that measure the health of their skin. These tests will be repeated in outpatient visits 2 weeks after each hospital stay....
Description
Study Description: In this study, we aim to investigate whether there is a link between lifestyle exposures, inflammation, and disease by exposing participants to environments with real-world levels of common skin and hair products (eg, soaps, shampoos), a typical Western diet of processed food, and/or ubiquitous air exposures, and to environments with cleaner, more natural contactants and less processed food. Participants will spend up to 7 days as an inpatient in a controlled environment with the assigned exposures, and up to 7 days as an inpatient in a cleaner environment. We will collect…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: To participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria: 1. Ability to provide informed consent. 2. Age 18-80 years. 3. Agreement to adhere to lifestyle considerations. 4. Ability to exclusively adhere to UPD and MPD during inpatient stay. 5. Ability to speak English. 6. Willing to allow storage of samples and data for future research. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study: 1. Diagnosis of atopic (physician-diagnosed asthma, AD, food allergy, chronic hive…
Interventions
- OtherEnvironmental Exposures
Toothpaste, skin lotion, hand soap, body wash, laundry detergent, shampoo containing sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), wall art with foam and polyurethane, and processed food.
- OtherControl Exposures
SLS-free, toxin free toothpaste, body wash, shampoo, detergents, non-synthetic clothing, and sheets, a minimally processed diet, and wall art without foam and polyurethane.
Location
- National Institutes of Health Clinical CenterBethesda, Maryland