Effects of indoor molds and smoking on lung function levels among adults with newly diagnosed asthma and healthy adults.

My thesis provides new evidence that indoor exposure to mold odor reduces lung function levels among both working-aged adults with new asthma and those who are healthy. Furthermore, among adults who have asthma, regular smoking and former smoking reduce lung function levels in both large and small airways. Indoor mold exposure and tobacco smoking are common worldwide. My thesis is based on three original publications. In Study I and Study II, we investigated the potential effects of indoor dampness and mold exposures on lung function among adults with newly diagnosed asthma and non-asthmatic adults. In Study III, we assessed the potential effects of smoking on lung functions reflecting both large and small airways among adults with newly onset asthma. All studies are based on the Finnish Environment and Asthma Study (FEAS) that included 521 working-aged adults with incident asthma and 932 non-asthmatic adults. Study subjects answered a questionnaire on exposures and their lung function levels were assessed by spirometry.