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Faraji M, Mohammadi A, Najmi M, Fallahnezhad M, Sabetkish N, Kazemnejad A, Shokouhi Shoormasti R, Fazlollahi MR, Pourpak Z, Moin M. Exposure to road noise and asthma prevalence in adults. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:23512-23519. [PMID: 34806147 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17531-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Noise has been reported as one of the most important risk factors for asthma, but there are some disagreements. This study aimed to investigate the effect of road noise on asthma prevalence in adults. In the current study, 3172 adults were interviewed through the ECRHS standardized questionnaire in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Exposure to road noise was assessed considering distance of individual participants from the noise monitoring stations via the spatial analysis in GIS software. Logistic regression was used to assess the effect of noise on the symptoms of asthma. Findings showed a significant positive association between wheezing with dyspnea as the best marker for asthma and noise levels at daytime (OR 1.03; 0.98-1.05) and nighttime (OR 1.05; 0.84-1.09). Also, a significant positive association was obtained between daytime and nighttime noise levels and other asthma symptoms including wheezing, nocturnal chest tightness, nocturnal dyspnea, wheezing without cold, nocturnal cough, and asthma medication. Association between current asthma and noise level was not significant. There was a significant association between population age and current asthma prevalence (P = 0.001). Therefore, chronic exposure to road noise especially in the nighttime could increase asthma prevalence. So, control of noise sources can be suggested to diminish asthma in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Faraji
- Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Amir Mohammadi
- Department of Public Health, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
| | - Mehdi Najmi
- Center of Non-Communicable Diseases Management, Deputy for Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Nastaran Sabetkish
- Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No 62, Dr. Qarib's Street, Keshavarz Boulevard, 14185863, Tehran, Iran
| | - Anoshirvan Kazemnejad
- Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Raheleh Shokouhi Shoormasti
- Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No 62, Dr. Qarib's Street, Keshavarz Boulevard, 14185863, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Fazlollahi
- Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No 62, Dr. Qarib's Street, Keshavarz Boulevard, 14185863, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zahra Pourpak
- Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No 62, Dr. Qarib's Street, Keshavarz Boulevard, 14185863, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Moin
- Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No 62, Dr. Qarib's Street, Keshavarz Boulevard, 14185863, Tehran, Iran
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Granum B, Oftedal B, Agier L, Siroux V, Bird P, Casas M, Warembourg C, Wright J, Chatzi L, de Castro M, Donaire D, Grazuleviciene R, Småstuen Haug L, Maitre L, Robinson O, Tamayo-Uria I, Urquiza J, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Slama R, Thomsen C, Vrijheid M. Multiple environmental exposures in early-life and allergy-related outcomes in childhood. Environ Int 2020; 144:106038. [PMID: 32854059 PMCID: PMC8768577 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Early onset and high prevalence of allergic diseases result in high individual and socio-economic burdens. Several studies provide evidence for possible effects of environmental factors on allergic diseases, but these are mainly single-exposure studies. The exposome provides a novel holistic approach by simultaneously studying a large set of exposures. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between a broad range of prenatal and childhood environmental exposures and allergy-related outcomes in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS Analyses of associations between 90 prenatal and 107 childhood exposures and allergy-related outcomes (last 12 months: rhinitis and itchy rash; ever: doctor-diagnosed eczema and food allergy) in 6-11 years old children (n = 1270) from the European Human Early-Life Exposome cohort were performed. Initially, we used an exposome-wide association study (ExWAS) considering the exposures independently, followed by a deletion-substitution-addition selection (DSA) algorithm considering all exposures simultaneously. All the exposure variables selected in the DSA were included in a final multi-exposure model using binomial general linear model (GLM). RESULTS In ExWAS, no exposures were associated with the outcomes after correction for multiple comparison. In multi-exposure models for prenatal exposures, lower distance of residence to nearest road and higher di-iso-nonyl phthalate level were associated with increased risk of rhinitis, and particulate matter absorbance (PMabs) was associated with a decreased risk. Furthermore, traffic density on nearest road was associated with increased risk of itchy rash and diethyl phthalate with a reduced risk. DSA selected no associations of childhood exposures, or between prenatal exposures and eczema or food allergy. DISCUSSION This first comprehensive and systematic analysis of many environmental exposures suggests that prenatal exposure to traffic-related variables, PMabs and phthalates are associated with rhinitis and itchy rash.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berit Granum
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
| | | | - Lydiane Agier
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology, IAB, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm, CNRS, CHU-Grenoble-Alpes, University Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Valerie Siroux
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology, IAB, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm, CNRS, CHU-Grenoble-Alpes, University Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Philippa Bird
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford UK
| | - Maribel Casas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Charline Warembourg
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - John Wright
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford UK
| | - Leda Chatzi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA; Department of Social Medicine, University of Crete, Greece; Department of Genetics & Cell Biology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Montserrat de Castro
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - David Donaire
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Regina Grazuleviciene
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytauto Didziojo Universitetas, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | | | - Lea Maitre
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Oliver Robinson
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Remy Slama
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology, IAB, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm, CNRS, CHU-Grenoble-Alpes, University Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Martine Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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Wallas AE, Eriksson C, Ögren M, Pyko A, Sjöström M, Melén E, Pershagen G, Gruzieva O. Noise exposure and childhood asthma up to adolescence. Environ Res 2020; 185:109404. [PMID: 32247905 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Increasing evidence indicates aggravation of immune-mediated diseases due to physiological and psychological stress. Noise is a stressor, however, little is known about its effects on children's respiratory health. This study investigates the association between pre- or postnatal road traffic or occupational noise exposure and asthma as well as related symptoms from infancy to adolescence. METHODS The study was conducted in the Swedish birth cohort BAMSE, including over 4000 participants followed with repeated questionnaires and clinical tests until 16 years of age. Pre- and postnatal residential road traffic noise was assessed by estimating time-weighted average noise levels at the most exposed façade. Maternal occupational noise exposure during pregnancy was evaluated using a job-exposure-matrix. The associations between noise exposure and asthma-related outcomes were explored using logistic regression and generalised estimating equations. RESULTS We observed non-significant associations for asthma ever up to 16 years with residential road traffic noise exposure in infancy ≥55 dBLden (adjusted OR = 1.22; 95% CI 0.90-1.65), as well as prenatal occupational noise exposure ≥80 dBLAeq,8h (1.18, 0.85-1.62). In longitudinal analyses, however, no clear associations between pre- or postnatal exposure to residential road traffic noise, or average exposure to noise since birth, were detected in relation to asthma or wheeze until 16 years. CONCLUSION We did not find a clear overall association between exposure to noise during different time periods and asthma or wheeze up to adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlotta Eriksson
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mikael Ögren
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, The University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Andrei Pyko
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mattias Sjöström
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erik Melén
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Göran Pershagen
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olena Gruzieva
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
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Hegseth MN, Oftedal BM, Höper AC, Aminoff AL, Thomassen MR, Svendsen MV, Fell AKM. Self-reported traffic-related air pollution and respiratory symptoms among adults in an area with modest levels of traffic. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226221. [PMID: 31830088 PMCID: PMC6907824 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Health effects of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) concentrations in densely populated areas are previously described. However, there is still a lack of knowledge of the health effects of moderate TRAP levels. The aim of the current study, a population-based survey including 16 099 adults (response rate 33%), was to assess the relationship between TRAP estimates and respiratory symptoms in an area with modest levels of traffic; Telemark County, Norway. Respondents reported respiratory symptoms the past 12 months and two TRAP exposure estimates: amount of traffic outside their bedroom window and time spent by foot daily along a moderate to heavy traffic road. Females reported on average more symptoms than males. Significant relationships between traffic outside their bedroom window and number of symptoms were only found among females, with the strongest associations among female occasional smokers (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.16–2.62] for moderate or heavy traffic compared to no traffic). Significant relationship between time spent daily by foot along a moderate to heavy traffic road and number of symptoms was found among male daily smokers (IRR 1.09, 95% CI [1.04–1.15] per hour increase). Associations between traffic outside bedroom window and each respiratory symptom were found. Significant associations were primarily detected among females, both among smokers and non-smokers. Significant associations between time spent by foot daily along a moderate to heavy traffic road (per hour) and nocturnal dyspnoea (odds ratio (OR) 1.20, 95% CI [1.05–1.38]), nocturnal chest tightness (OR 1.13 [1.00–1.28]) and wheezing (OR 1.14 [1.02–1.29]) were found among daily smokers, primarily men. Overall, we found significant associations between self-reported TRAP exposures and respiratory symptoms. Differences between genders and smoking status were identified. The findings indicate an association between TRAP and respiratory symptoms even in populations exposed to modest levels of TRAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marit Nøst Hegseth
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Institute of Community Medicine, UiT- The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bente Margaret Oftedal
- Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anje Christina Höper
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Institute of Community Medicine, UiT- The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anna Louise Aminoff
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Institute of Community Medicine, UiT- The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Marte Renate Thomassen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Martin Veel Svendsen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Telemark Hospital, Skien, Norway
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Hwang MJ, Cheong HK, Kim JH, Koo YS, Yun HY. Ambient air quality and subjective stress level using Community Health Survey data in Korea. Epidemiol Health 2018; 40:e2018028. [PMID: 30223638 PMCID: PMC6178364 DOI: 10.4178/epih.e2018028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Air pollution causes various disease in exposed populations, and can lead to premorbid health effects manifested as both physical and psychological functional impairment. The present study investigated the subjective stress level in daily life in relation to the level of air pollution. METHODS Data from the Community Health Survey (2013), comprising 99,162 men, and 121,273 women residing in 253 healthcare administrative districts, were combined with air pollutant concentration modelling data from the Korean Air Quality Forecasting System, and were stratified by subjective stress levels into five strata for multiple logistic regression. Levels of exposure were divided into five quintiles according to the annual concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and were analyzed using a single-pollutant model using NO2 concentration only, and a multi-pollutant model adjusted for the concentration of particulate matter <10 μm in diameter. RESULTS Analysis of men and women in various age groups showed the highest odds ratio (OR) for subjective stress level at the highest NO2 concentration quintile in men and women aged 30–64 years (men: 2.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.12 to 4.01; women: 1.82; 95% CI, 1.32 to 2.51). As the NO2 concentration quintile increased, the OR increased. Men showed higher ORs than women in all strata. CONCLUSIONS In the present study, annual NO2 concentrations were found to be associated with subjective stress levels. This association was especially clear among socioeconomically active men and women aged 30-64 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myung-Jae Hwang
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hae-Kwan Cheong
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Jong-Hun Kim
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Youn Seo Koo
- Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Anyang University, Anyang, Korea
| | - Hui-Young Yun
- Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Anyang University, Anyang, Korea
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Bose S, Romero K, Psoter KJ, Curriero FC, Chen C, Johnson CM, Kaji D, Breysse PN, Williams DL, Ramanathan M, Checkley W, Hansel NN. Association of traffic air pollution and rhinitis quality of life in Peruvian children with asthma. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193910. [PMID: 29561906 PMCID: PMC5862476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Air pollution exposure may contribute to rhinoconjunctivitis morbidity in children with underlying airways disease. Prior studies have not assessed rhinoconjunctivitis-related quality of life (QOL) in children with asthma chronically exposed to air pollution. Methods Children ages 9–19 years with asthma from peri-urban Peru, self-reporting rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms (n = 484), were administered the Rhinoconjunctivitis QOL Questionnaire (RQLQ) at repeated intervals over one year, with scores dichotomized into bothered (>0) and not bothered (= 0). Individual weekly exposures to particulate matter<2.5μm (PM2.5) and its black carbon (BC) component were estimated by inverse distance weighted methods. Generalized estimating equations, adjusting for covariates, estimated associations of PM2.5 and BC with QOL. Results Participants were on average 13 years old, 55% female, and majority were atopic (77%). Mean (SD) PM2.5 and BC concentrations were 21(3.2) μg/m3 and 4.4(1.5) μg/m3, respectively. In adjusted multi-pollutant models, each 10μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with increased odds of worse rhinoconjunctivitis QOL (OR;[95% CI]: 1.83;[1.33,2.52]). A 10% increase in the BC proportion was associated with higher rhinitis burden (OR;[95% CI]: 1.80;[1.22,2.66]), while increases in the non-BC component of PM did not significantly impact rhinoconjunctivitis QOL. Associations were similar regardless of atopy. Conclusion Higher PM2.5 and BC exposure is associated with worse rhinitis QOL among asthmatic children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Bose
- Johns Hopkins Department of Medicine—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the GASP investigators, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Karina Romero
- Johns Hopkins Department of Medicine—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Kevin J. Psoter
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Frank C. Curriero
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Chen Chen
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Caroline M. Johnson
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Deepak Kaji
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the GASP investigators, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Patrick N. Breysse
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - D’Ann L. Williams
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Murugappan Ramanathan
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - William Checkley
- Johns Hopkins Department of Medicine—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Nadia N. Hansel
- Johns Hopkins Department of Medicine—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health—Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Krefis A, Augustin M, Schlünzen K, Oßenbrügge J, Augustin J. How Does the Urban Environment Affect Health and Well-Being? A Systematic Review. Urban Science 2018; 2:21. [DOI: 10.3390/urbansci2010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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von Szombathely M, Albrecht M, Augustin J, Bechtel B, Dwinger I, Gaffron P, Krefis A, Oßenbrügge J, Strüver A. Relation between Observed and Perceived Traffic Noise and Socio-Economic Status in Urban Blocks of Different Characteristics. Urban Science 2018; 2:20. [DOI: 10.3390/urbansci2010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Pitchika A, Hampel R, Wolf K, Kraus U, Cyrys J, Babisch W, Peters A, Schneider A. Long-term associations of modeled and self-reported measures of exposure to air pollution and noise at residence on prevalent hypertension and blood pressure. Sci Total Environ 2017; 593-594:337-346. [PMID: 28346907 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2016] [Revised: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution, traffic noise and noise annoyance are suggested to be associated with hypertension and blood pressure (BP); however, the evidence remains inconsistent. Our study examined the long-term associations of modeled and self-reported measures of air pollution and traffic noise on prevalent hypertension and BP. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 2552 participants aged 31-72years from the KORA F4 (2006-2008) study conducted in the region of Augsburg, Germany. Land-use regression models were used to estimate residential long-term exposure to particulate matter <2.5μm (PM2.5), soot content of PM2.5 (PM2.5abs) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Road traffic noise levels at the facade of the dwellings were estimated for the participants' residences. Participants filled-in a questionnaire on noise annoyance and heavy traffic passing their residence. Linear and logistic regression models adjusting for confounders were used to assess the association between exposure measures and hypertension and BP. An interquartile increase in annual mean PM2.5 (1μg/m3) was significantly associated with 15% higher prevalence of hypertension, without (95% CI: 2.5; 28.0%) and with (95% CI: 0.7; 30.8%) adjustment for traffic noise. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was associated with air pollutants and traffic noise with percent increases in mean of 0.7 (95% CI: 0.2; 1.2), 0.6 (95% CI: 0.1; 1.1) and 0.3 (95% CI: 0.0; 0.7) for an interquartile increase in PM2.5 (1μg/m3) and PM2.5abs (0.2∗10-5/m), and 5dB(A) increase in 24-hour road traffic noise, respectively. Associations of PM2.5abs and NO2 with hypertension or DBP were stronger in men and diabetic individuals. No clear associations were seen with systolic BP or noise annoyance. In conclusion, self-reported measures of air pollution or noise did not perform better than the objective measures. Our findings provide further evidence for a link between air pollution, noise and cardiovascular disease and indicate a stronger association for men and diabetic individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anitha Pitchika
- German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany; Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry und Epidemiology (IBE), Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Regina Hampel
- German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Wolf
- German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Ute Kraus
- German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Josef Cyrys
- German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany; ESC - Environmental Center, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Babisch
- Department of Environmental Hygiene, Federal Environment Agency, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette Peters
- German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), Neuherberg, Germany; DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Germany
| | - Alexandra Schneider
- German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.
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Krefis A, Albrecht M, Kis A, Jagodzinski A, Augustin M, Augustin J. Associations of Noise and Socioeconomic and -Demographic Status on Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases on Borough Level in a Large German City State. Urban Science 2017; 1:27. [DOI: 10.3390/urbansci1030027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Marcus M. On the road to recovery: Gasoline content regulations and child health. J Health Econ 2017; 54:98-123. [PMID: 28551557 PMCID: PMC5560027 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Gasoline content regulations are designed to curb pollution and improve health, but their impact on health has not been quantified. By exploiting both the timing of regulation and spatial variation in children's exposure to highways, I estimate the effect of gasoline content regulation on pollution and child health. The introduction of cleaner-burning gasoline in California in 1996 reduced asthma admissions by 8% in high exposure areas. Reductions are greatest for areas downwind from highways and heavy traffic areas. Stringent gasoline content regulations can improve child health, and may diminish existing health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Marcus
- Brown University, Department of Economics, Brown University, 64 Waterman Street, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
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Feng X, Astell-Burt T. Is Neighborhood Green Space Protective against Associations between Child Asthma, Neighborhood Traffic Volume and Perceived Lack of Area Safety? Multilevel Analysis of 4447 Australian Children. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2017; 14:E543. [PMID: 28534841 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14050543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Heavy traffic is a source of air pollution and a safety concern with important public health implications. We investigated whether green space lowers child asthma risk by buffering the effects of heavy traffic and a lack of neighborhood safety. Multilevel models were used to analyze affirmative asthma cases in nationally representative cross-sectional data from 4447 children aged 6-7 years old in Australia. Case-finding was based upon a triangulation of affirmative responses to three questions on doctor-diagnosed asthma, asthma-related medications and illness with wheezing lasting for at least 1 week within the 12 months prior. Among children considered to be exposed to high traffic volumes and areas with 0 to 20% green space quantity, the odds ratio of affirmative asthma was 1.87 (95% CI 1.37 to 2.55). However, the association between heavy traffic and asthma was significantly lower for participants living in areas with over 40% green space coverage (odds ratio for interaction 0.32, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.84). No association between affirmative asthma and green space coverage was observed for participants not exposed to heavy traffic, nor for the area safety variable. Protecting existing and investing in new green space may help to promote child respiratory health through the buffering of traffic-related air pollution.
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von Szombathely M, Albrecht M, Antanaskovic D, Augustin J, Augustin M, Bechtel B, Bürk T, Fischereit J, Grawe D, Hoffmann P, Kaveckis G, Krefis A, Oßenbrügge J, Scheffran J, Schlünzen K. A Conceptual Modeling Approach to Health-Related Urban Well-Being. Urban Science 2017; 1:17. [DOI: 10.3390/urbansci1020017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Deng Q, Lu C, Li Y, Sundell J. Exposure to outdoor air pollution during trimesters of pregnancy and childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema. Environ Res 2016; 150:119-127. [PMID: 27281689 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.05.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mounting evidence suggests that exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with the development of childhood allergic diseases, but the effect of prenatal exposure to air pollution on the risk of childhood asthma and allergy is unclear. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the association between maternal exposure to outdoor air pollution during different trimesters of pregnancy and incidence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema in 2598 preschool children aged 3-6 years in China. METHODS Children's lifetime incidence of allergic diseases was obtained using questionnaire. Individual exposure to outdoor air pollutants during trimesters of pregnancy was estimated by an inverse distance weighted (IDW) method based on the measured concentrations at monitoring stations. We used multiple logistic regression method to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema for per interquartile range (IQR) increase in the exposure to air pollutant in each trimester, which was adjusted for the effect of other air pollutants and its effect in other trimesters by a multi-pollutant/trimester model. RESULTS Incidence of asthma (6.8%), allergic rhinitis (7.3%), and eczema (28.6%) in children was associated with maternal exposure to traffic-related pollutant NO2 during entire pregnancy with OR (95% confidence interval [CI]) respectively 1.63 (0.99-2.70), 1.69 (1.03-2.77), and 1.37 (1.04-1.80). After adjustment for other pollutants and trimesters, we found the association was significant only in specific trimester: the first trimester for eczema (1.54, 1.14-2.09), the second trimester for asthma (1.72, 1.02-2.97), and the third trimester for allergic rhinitis (1.77, 1.09-2.89). Sensitivity analysis indicated that the trimester sensitive to the development of allergic diseases was stable. CONCLUSION Maternal exposure to traffic-related air pollutant NO2 during pregnancy, especially in specific trimesters, is associated with an increased risk of developing asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in children. Our results support the hypothesis that childhood allergic diseases originate in fetal life and are triggered by traffic-related air pollution in sensitive trimesters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihong Deng
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Institute of Environmental Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Chan Lu
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yuguo Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jan Sundell
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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Deng Q, Lu C, Ou C, Chen L, Yuan H. Preconceptional, prenatal and postnatal exposure to outdoor and indoor environmental factors on allergic diseases/symptoms in preschool children. Chemosphere 2016; 152:459-67. [PMID: 27003368 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.03.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Revised: 02/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental factors have been found to be associated with allergic diseases, but it is unclear which environmental factor during which exposure window causes what kind of allergic diseases. OBJECTIVES We investigated association between exposure to some predominant outdoor and indoor environmental factors during preconceptional, prenatal, and postnatal periods and allergic diseases/symptoms in 2598 children in China. METHODS Children's lifetime incidence of allergic diseases and current prevalence of allergic symptoms and exposure to indoor new furniture/redecoration and mold/dampness was surveyed by a questionnaire. Exposure to outdoor air pollutants was estimated by the concentrations measured at air quality monitoring stations. Multiple logistic regression model was used to evaluate the associations between outdoor air pollutants and indoor environmental factors and allergic diseases (asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema) and symptoms (wheezing, night cough, and rhinitis-like). RESULTS We found that preconceptional, prenatal, and postnatal exposure to outdoor industrial and traffic air pollutants were significantly associated with increase in the risk of childhood asthma, and also positively associated with allergic rhinitis and eczema. However, we cannot distinguish the effect of outdoor air pollutants and exposure windows because of their high correlations. New furniture was associated with eczema and allergic rhinitis during postnatal exposure, but redecoration associated with asthma and eczema during prenatal exposure. Indoor visible mold/damp stains was significant for eczema during prenatal exposure and asthma during postnatal exposure respectively, but window condensation was significant for all childhood allergic diseases during both prenatal and postnatal exposures. Allergic symptoms in children were found to be associated with exposure to indoor factors only. CONCLUSIONS Associations between outdoor air pollutants and indoor environmental factors and childhood allergic diseases/symptoms were divergent and related to the timing of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihong Deng
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Institute of Environmental Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Chan Lu
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Cuiyun Ou
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lv Chen
- School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hong Yuan
- Institute of Environmental Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Lindgren A, Stroh E, Jakobsson K. Ever dispense of prescribed allergy medication in children growing up close to traffic: a registry-based birth cohort. BMC Public Health 2015; 15:1023. [PMID: 26444543 PMCID: PMC4595113 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-2356-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Epidemiologic studies have shown conflicting results regarding the role of traffic pollution in the development of allergic disease. This study investigated the relationship between living close to traffic and ever dispense of prescribed oral antihistamines or nasal anti-allergic medication, among young children. The underlying aim was to investigate if children growing up close to traffic pollution are at higher risk of developing allergy in early childhood. Methods We investigated a birth cohort in southern Sweden, consisting of N = 26 128 children (0–6 years) with health outcome and exposure data. Of these children, N = 7898, had additional covariate information. Traffic intensity and yearly averages of dispersion-modeled concentrations of NOX (100 × 100 m grid) at residential addresses, were linked with registry data on dispensed allergy medication (the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register). Individual level covariate information was obtained from questionnaires distributed to parents at Child Health Care-center visits, eight months after birth. Cox proportional hazards regression was used for the statistical analyses. Results Living in close proximity to a road with equal to or greater than 8640 cars/day (compared to 0–8639 cars/day), was not associated with higher incidence of ever dispensed oral antihistamine or nasal anti-allergic medication, with or without adjustment for confounders (sex, breastfeeding, parental allergy, parental origin, season, and year of birth). Similar results were found in relation to NOX. Conclusions Traffic-related exposure was not associated with higher incidence of ever dispensed medication against allergy, in children 0–6 years in southern Sweden. These results indicates that traffic-related exposure may not be a risk factor for early onset allergy in children in southern Sweden. However, children with dispense of prescribed allergy medication may be a selected subgroup, and the results for this group may not be generalizable to all children with allergy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2356-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lindgren
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Emilie Stroh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Kristina Jakobsson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden.
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Wang S, Paul MJ, Dredze M. Social media as a sensor of air quality and public response in China. J Med Internet Res 2015; 17:e22. [PMID: 25831020 PMCID: PMC4400579 DOI: 10.2196/jmir.3875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Revised: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recent studies have demonstrated the utility of social media data sources for a wide range of public health goals, including disease surveillance, mental health trends, and health perceptions and sentiment. Most such research has focused on English-language social media for the task of disease surveillance. Objective We investigated the value of Chinese social media for monitoring air quality trends and related public perceptions and response. The goal was to determine if this data is suitable for learning actionable information about pollution levels and public response. Methods We mined a collection of 93 million messages from Sina Weibo, China’s largest microblogging service. We experimented with different filters to identify messages relevant to air quality, based on keyword matching and topic modeling. We evaluated the reliability of the data filters by comparing message volume per city to air particle pollution rates obtained from the Chinese government for 74 cities. Additionally, we performed a qualitative study of the content of pollution-related messages by coding a sample of 170 messages for relevance to air quality, and whether the message included details such as a reactive behavior or a health concern. Results The volume of pollution-related messages is highly correlated with particle pollution levels, with Pearson correlation values up to .718 (n=74, P<.001). Our qualitative results found that 67.1% (114/170) of messages were relevant to air quality and of those, 78.9% (90/114) were a firsthand report. Of firsthand reports, 28% (32/90) indicated a reactive behavior and 19% (17/90) expressed a health concern. Additionally, 3 messages of 170 requested that action be taken to improve quality. Conclusions We have found quantitatively that message volume in Sina Weibo is indicative of true particle pollution levels, and we have found qualitatively that messages contain rich details including perceptions, behaviors, and self-reported health effects. Social media data can augment existing air pollution surveillance data, especially perception and health-related data that traditionally requires expensive surveys or interviews.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiliang Wang
- Johns Hopkins University, Department of Computer Science, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Hox V, Maes T, Huvenne W, Van Drunen C, Vanoirbeek JA, Joos G, Bachert C, Fokkens W, Ceuppens JL, Nemery B, Hellings PW. A chest physician's guide to mechanisms of sinonasal disease. Thorax 2015; 70:353-8. [DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2014-205520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Vlaski E, Stavric K, Seckova L, Kimovska Hristova M, Isjanovska R. The self-reported density of truck traffic on residential streets and the impact on asthma, hay fever and eczema in young adolescents. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) 2014; 42:224-9. [PMID: 23352596 DOI: 10.1016/j.aller.2012.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 10/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conflicting results have been reported, mostly in developed countries, on the relationship between exposure to traffic and allergic diseases. This study aims to examine the impact of truck traffic on asthma, rhinitis and eczema in early adolescence in Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, as a developing country with a lower middle rate of high truck traffic exposure and low prevalence rates of allergic diseases. METHODS Self-reported data was used, obtained through the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase 3 written questionnaires, from 3026 adolescents aged 13-14 years from Skopje. Truck traffic density on the street of residence on weekdays was correlated to current and ever-diagnosed asthma, rhinitis and eczema by odds ratios (OR, 95% CI) in binary logistic regression, with and without adjustments for potential confounding factors separately and for their joint effect. RESULTS A positive association of truck traffic density appeared to be limited to current dry night cough (aOR: 1.63; 1.07-2.47; aOR: 2.17; 1.40-3.35; and aOR: 2.33; 1.43-3.79 for truck traffic seldom, frequently through the day, and almost the whole day, respectively) with an exposure-response relationship and to current wheeze only for truck traffic almost the whole day (aOR: 1.87; 1.02-3.42). CONCLUSION The findings suggest an aggravating effect of truck traffic on current asthma symptoms, but not on asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema diagnoses. It seems that it probably has an impact as a direct respiratory irritant in early adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Vlaski
- Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Children's Clinic, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia.
| | - K Stavric
- Department of Immunology, University Children's Clinic, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia
| | - L Seckova
- Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Children's Clinic, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia
| | - M Kimovska Hristova
- Intensive Care Unit, University Children's Clinic, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia
| | - R Isjanovska
- Institute of Epidemiology with Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia
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Gerber A, Bohn J, Groneberg DA, Schulze J, Bundschuh M. Airborne particulate matter in public transport: a field study at major intersection points in Frankfurt am Main (Germany). J Occup Med Toxicol 2014; 9:13. [PMID: 24716779 PMCID: PMC3991908 DOI: 10.1186/1745-6673-9-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic particulate matter (PM) exposure is correlated to various health effects, even at low amounts. WHO has defined PM concentration limits as daily and annual mean values which were made legally binding in the European Union. While many studies have focused on PM concentrations in special environments, little is known about the average PM- exposure for both employees and passengers in the German public transportation system. Methods Particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, PM1) – concentrations were monitored for 30 minutes at 15 different areas in Frankfurt am Main with major public traffic. Maximum and mean concentrations and, as a surrogate for the inhaled dosage, the Area Under the Curve (AUC) for 15 minutes of exposure were calculated. Results The WHO limits for PM10 and PM2.5 were exceeded at nearly all times and areas. Highest maximum concentrations were found at underground stations, subterranean railway stations and subterranean shopping arcades with much lower values obtained at surface points. In one measurement at a surface test point smokers who neglected the non-smoking policy could be identified as a major cause for a at least temporary strong increase of PM-load as seen in high maximum values and normal averages. Conclusions Subterranean areas have high particulate matter contamination exceeding WHO limits. Improvement may be achieved by increased ventilation. Subterranean shops and kiosks, being workplaces with long term exposure, should be equipped with external air supply. The non- smoking policy of the “Deutsche Bahn” for public spaces should be enforced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Gerber
- Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Haus 9b, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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Denguezli Bouzgarou M, Ben Ali M, Ben Salem A, Gaied S, Aouichaoui C, Dessanges JF, Tabka Z. La pratique sportive en salle serait-elle un facteur de risque de rhinite allergique ? Rev Mal Respir 2013; 30:555-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rmr.2013.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2012] [Accepted: 02/11/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Lu C, Deng Q, Ou C, Liu W, Sundell J. Effects of ambient air pollution on allergic rhinitis among preschool children in Changsha, China. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s11434-013-5725-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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See KC, Christiani DC. Normal values and thresholds for the clinical interpretation of exhaled nitric oxide levels in the US general population: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2010. Chest 2013; 143:107-116. [PMID: 22628492 DOI: 10.1378/chest.12-0416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated fractional excretion of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) reflects airway inflammation, but few studies have established its normal values. This study aims to establish the normal values and thresholds for the clinical interpretation of FENO in the US general population. METHODS Thirteen thousand two hundred seventy-five subjects aged 6 to 80 years sampled for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2010 underwent interviews, physical examination, and FENO analysis at 50 mL/s using an online chemiluminescence device according to American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society guidelines. After excluding subjects with self-reported asthma and subjects with wheeze in the prior 12 months, prediction equations for the natural logarithm (ln) of FENO were constructed using age, sex, ethnicity, height, BMI, active/passive smoke exposure, and hay fever episodes as covariates. RESULTS The fifth to 95th percentile values of FENO were 3.5 to 36.5 parts per billion (ppb) for children < 12 years of age and 3.5 to 39 ppb for subjects 12 to 80 years of age. Using multiple linear regression, prediction equations explained only 10.3% to 15.7% of the variation in the general population. In the general population, 39% to 45% had ln(FENO) levels > 2 SD of the predicted means. When applied to the general population inclusive of subjects who reported asthma but who did not have attacks within the past year, nearly identical results were obtained. CONCLUSIONS Assuming 95% of the healthy US general population had no clinically significant airway inflammation as assessed by FENO, values exceeding the 95th percentiles indicated abnormality and a high risk of airway inflammation. A large variation of normal FENO values existed in the general population, which was poorly predicted by multiple linear regression models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay Choong See
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore; Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
| | - David C Christiani
- Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
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Gowers AM, Cullinan P, Ayres JG, Anderson HR, Strachan DP, Holgate ST, Mills IC, Maynard RL. Does outdoor air pollution induce new cases of asthma? Biological plausibility and evidence; a review. Respirology 2013; 17:887-98. [PMID: 22672711 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2012.02195.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
It is widely accepted that air pollution can exacerbate asthma in those who already have the condition. What is less clear is whether air pollution can contribute to the initiation of new cases of asthma. Mechanistic evidence from toxicological studies, together with recent information on genes that predispose towards the development of asthma, suggests that this is biologically plausible, particularly in the light of the current understanding of asthma as a complex disease with a variety of phenotypes. The epidemiological evidence for associations between ambient levels of air pollutants and asthma prevalence at a whole community level is unconvincing; meta-analysis confirms a lack of association. In contrast, a meta-analysis of cohort studies found an association between asthma incidence and within-community variations in air pollution (largely traffic dominated). Similarly, a systematic review suggests an association of asthma prevalence with exposure to traffic, although only in those living very close to heavily trafficked roads carrying a lot of trucks. Based on this evidence, the U.K.'s Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants recently concluded that, overall, the evidence is consistent with the possibility that outdoor air pollution might play a role in causing asthma in susceptible individuals living very close to busy roads carrying a lot of truck traffic. Nonetheless, the effect on public health is unlikely to be large: air pollutants are likely to make only a small contribution, compared with other factors, in the development of asthma, and in only a small proportion of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison M Gowers
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Health Protection Agency, Chilton, UK.
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Jephcote C, Chen H. Environmental injustices of children's exposure to air pollution from road-transport within the model British multicultural city of Leicester: 2000-09. Sci Total Environ 2012; 414:140-151. [PMID: 22154180 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.11.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2011] [Revised: 11/10/2011] [Accepted: 11/14/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The significant contribution of road-transport to air pollution within the urban arena is widely acknowledged, and traditionally explored in relation to health outcomes across a temporal scale. However, the structure of the urban environment is also of importance in dictating the existence of extremely variable traffic pollutant levels, which often tend to be linked with social disparities. Nevertheless 'Environmental Justice' studies have rarely tackled the adverse health implications of exposures from mobile sources (Chakraborty, 2009), or have applied statistical techniques that are appropriate for such spatial data (Gilbert and Chakraborty, 2011). This article addresses these gaps by spatially examining the distribution of respiratory hospitalisation incidents of children aged 0-15 years in relation to social circumstances and residential exposures of annual PM(10) road-transport emissions within Leicester during 2000-09. Continuing upon the theme of 'Environmental Justice', the research explores the intra-urban spatial distribution of those who produce and residentially experience the majority of road-transport emissions. The findings indicate significant global relationships to exist between children's hospitalisation rates and social-economic-status, ethnic minorities, and PM(10) road-transport emissions within Leicester. Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) identified important localised variations within the dataset, specifically relating to a double-burden of residentially experienced road-transport emissions and deprivation effecting inner city children's respiratory health. Furthermore, affluent intra-urban communities tended to contribute the highest levels of emission from private transport, while residentially experiencing relatively low exposure of transport emissions. This would suggest that environmental injustices prevail across the model British multicultural city of Leicester.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin Jephcote
- Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
Epidemiological data suggest that traffic exposures can influence asthma and allergic symptoms among preschool children; however, there is no information on risk reduction via home air-conditioning (AC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the associations of self-reported traffic densities with asthma and allergic symptoms among preschool children and determine whether AC is an effect modifier. A cross-sectional study adopting an expanded and modified ISAAC--International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood conducted on randomly selected 2994 children living in homes without any indoor risk factors. Specific information on demographics, indoor home risk factors, and traffic variables were obtained. Adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were determined by Cox proportional hazard regression model with assumption of a constant risk period controlled for covariates. We found dose-response significant relationships between validated self-reported traffic densities and asthma and rhinitis symptoms. Among children sleeping in non-air-conditioned homes, there were stronger associations between asthma and rhinitis symptoms studied. PRs for heavy traffic density were 2.06 for wheeze (95% CI 0.97-4.38), 2.89 for asthma (1.14-7.32), 1.73 for rhinitis (1.00-2.99), and 3.39 for rhinoconjunctivitis (1.24-9.27). There were no associations found for children sleeping in air-conditioned homes. Our results suggest that AC in the bedroom modifies the health effects of traffic among preschool children. This finding suggests that attention should also be paid to ventilation characteristics of the homes to remediate health-related traffic pollution problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Sultan Zuraimi
- Department of Building, School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Exercise in air polluted by traffic emissions may aggravate airway inflammation in children with asthma, particularly those who produce decreased glutathione-S transferase (GST) as a result of GSTM1 gene deletion. OBJECTIVES This pilot crossover study investigated whether children with asthma experience more airway changes when exercising outdoors near roadways than when exercising indoors. It also examined differences in risk between children with and without GSTM1 deletion. METHOD Children between the ages of 5 and 12 years were assigned to groups and walked daily for 1 week in each exercise condition. Airway inflammation indicated by exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) and pulmonary functions measured as forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and mid-expiratory flow rate were measured at baseline and at three intervals during the walking program. Independent variables of interest included walking condition (place), time of walking, genotype, and particulate matter (PM) exposure. RESULTS A linear mixed models approach was used to investigate the contributions of targeted variables to respiratory outcomes. Results indicated that walking location and ambient level of ultrafine particulates during walking influenced function of small airways. Absence of one or both alleles for the GSTM1 gene did not influence airway function acutely. DISCUSSION Mid-expiratory flow (FEF(25-75)) may be more informative than FEV1 in studies of acute lung function changes in children with asthma. Further study of the effects of varied environmental conditions on lower airway function of children is needed to optimize exercise experiences for urban children with asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Newcomb
- College of Nursing, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA.
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Skene KJ, Gent JF, McKay LA, Belanger K, Leaderer BP, Holford TR. Modeling effects of traffic and landscape characteristics on ambient nitrogen dioxide levels in Connecticut. Atmos Environ (1994) 2010; 44:5156-5164. [PMID: 21076636 PMCID: PMC2976574 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2010.08.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
An integrated exposure model was developed that estimates nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) concentration at residences using geographic information systems (GIS) and variables derived within residential buffers representing traffic volume and landscape characteristics including land use, population density and elevation. Multiple measurements of NO(2) taken outside of 985 residences in Connecticut were used to develop the model. A second set of 120 outdoor NO(2) measurements as well as cross-validation were used to validate the model. The model suggests that approximately 67% of the variation in NO(2) levels can be explained by: traffic and land use primarily within 2 km of a residence; population density; elevation; and time of year. Potential benefits of this model for health effects research include improved spatial estimations of traffic-related pollutant exposure and reduced need for extensive pollutant measurements. The model, which could be calibrated and applied in areas other than Connecticut, has importance as a tool for exposure estimation in epidemiological studies of traffic-related air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine J Skene
- Center for Perinatal, Pediatric and Environmental Epidemiology Department of Epidemiology and Public Health Yale University School of Medicine New Haven, CT USA
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Gordian ME, Stewart AW, Morris SS. Evaporative gasoline emissions and asthma symptoms. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2010; 7:3051-62. [PMID: 20948946 PMCID: PMC2954567 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph7083051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2010] [Revised: 07/25/2010] [Accepted: 07/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Attached garages are known to be associated with indoor air volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study looked at indoor exposure to VOCs presumably from evaporative emissions of gasoline. Alaskan gasoline contains 5% benzene making benzene a marker for gasoline exposure. A survey of randomly chosen houses with attached garages was done in Anchorage Alaska to determine the exposure and assess respiratory health. Householders were asked to complete a health survey for each person and a household survey. They monitored indoor air in their primary living space for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes for one week using passive organic vapor monitoring badges. Benzene levels in homes ranged from undetectable to 58 parts per billion. The median benzene level in 509 homes tested was 2.96 ppb. Elevated benzene levels in the home were strongly associated with small engines and gasoline stored in the garage. High concentrations of benzene in gasoline increase indoor air levels of benzene in residences with attached garages exposing people to benzene at levels above ATSDR’s minimal risk level. Residents reported more severe symptoms of asthma in the homes with high gasoline exposure (16%) where benzene levels exceeded the 9 ppb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ellen Gordian
- Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Diplomacy 504, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +1-907-786-5449; Fax: +1-907-786-7739
| | - Alistair W Stewart
- Section of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Population Health (Tamaki Campus), University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; E-Mail:
| | - Stephen S Morris
- Air Quality Section, Department of Health and Human Services, Municipality of Anchorage, 632 West 6th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA; E-Mail:
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Spira-Cohen A, Chen LC, Kendall M, Sheesley R, Thurston GD. Personal exposures to traffic-related particle pollution among children with asthma in the South Bronx, NY. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2010; 20:446-56. [PMID: 19865073 PMCID: PMC4240219 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2009.34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2009] [Accepted: 05/08/2009] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Personal exposures to fine particulate matter air pollution (PM(2.5)), and to its traffic-related fraction, were investigated in a group of urban children with asthma. The relationships of personal and outdoor school-site measurements of PM(2.5) and elemental carbon (EC) were characterized for a total of 40 fifth-grade children. These students, from four South Bronx, NY schools, each carried air pollution monitoring equipment with them for 24 h per day for approximately 1 month. Daily EC concentrations were estimated using locally calibrated reflectance of the PM(2.5) samples. Personal EC concentration was more closely related to outdoor school-site EC (median subject-specific: r=0.64) than was personal PM(2.5) to school-site PM(2.5) concentration (median subject-specific: r=0.33). Regression models also showed a stronger, more robust association of school site with personal measurements for EC than those for PM(2.5). High traffic pollution exposure was found to coincide with the weekday early morning rush hour, with higher personal exposures for participants living closer to a highway (<500 ft). A significant linear relationship of home distance from a highway with personal EC pollution exposure was also found (up to 1000 ft). This supports the assumptions by previous epidemiological studies using distance from a highway as an index of traffic PM exposure. These results are also consistent with the assumption that traffic, and especially smoke emitted from diesel vehicles, is a significant contributor to personal PM exposure levels in children living in urban areas such as the South Bronx, NY.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Spira-Cohen
- Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine, New York University
School of Medicine, 57 Old Forge Rd., Tuxedo, NY 10987-5007
| | - Lung Chi Chen
- Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine, New York University
School of Medicine, 57 Old Forge Rd., Tuxedo, NY 10987-5007
| | - Michaela Kendall
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Uludag University,
Bursa, Turkey
| | - Rebecca Sheesley
- Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, 660 N. Park St., Madison, WI 53706
| | - George D. Thurston
- Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine, New York University
School of Medicine, 57 Old Forge Rd., Tuxedo, NY 10987-5007
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Codispoti CD, Levin L, LeMasters GK, Ryan P, Reponen T, Villareal M, Burkle J, Stanforth S, Lockey JE, Khurana Hershey GK, Bernstein DI. Breast-feeding, aeroallergen sensitization, and environmental exposures during infancy are determinants of childhood allergic rhinitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2010; 125:1054-1060.e1. [PMID: 20392478 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2009] [Revised: 01/27/2010] [Accepted: 02/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infant predictors of early childhood allergic rhinitis (AR) are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE We sought to identify environmental exposures and host factors during infancy that predict AR at age 3 years. METHODS High-risk children from greater Cincinnati were followed annually from ages 1 to 3 years. AR was defined as sneezing, runny, or blocked nose in the prior 12 months and a positive skin prick test (SPT) response to 1 or more aeroallergens. Environmental and standardized medical questionnaires determined exposures and clinical outcomes. Primary activity area dust samples were analyzed for house dust endotoxin (HDE) and (1-3)-beta-D-glucan. Fine particulate matter sampled at 27 monitoring stations was used to estimate personal elemental carbon attributable to traffic exposure by using a land-use regression model. RESULTS Of 361 children in this analysis, 116 had AR, and 245 were nonatopic and nonsymptomatic. Prolonged breast-feeding in African American children (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.8; 95% CI, 0.6-0.9) and multiple children in the home during infancy was protective against AR (aOR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.8). Food SPT response positivity and tree SPT response positivity in infancy increased the risk of AR at age 3 years (aOR of 4.4 [95% CI, 2.1-9.2] and aOR of 6.8 [95% CI, 2.5-18.7], respectively). HDE exposure was associated with AR; the effect was dependent on exposure level. Elemental carbon attributable to traffic and environmental tobacco smoke exposure showed no effect on AR. CONCLUSION Prolonged breast-feeding in African American subjects and multiple children in the home during infancy reduced the risk of AR at age 3 years. SPT response positivity to food and tree allergens enhanced risk. The HDE effect on AR was related to exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Codispoti
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 4267-0563, USA
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Krämer U, Sugiri D, Ranft U, Krutmann J, von Berg A, Berdel D, Behrendt H, Kuhlbusch T, Hochadel M, Wichmann H, Heinrich J. Eczema, respiratory allergies, and traffic-related air pollution in birth cohorts from small-town areas. J Dermatol Sci 2009; 56:99-105. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2009.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2009] [Revised: 06/10/2009] [Accepted: 07/24/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Brunekreef B, Stewart AW, Anderson HR, Lai CKW, Strachan DP, Pearce N. Self-reported truck traffic on the street of residence and symptoms of asthma and allergic disease: a global relationship in ISAAC phase 3. Environ Health Perspect 2009; 117:1791-8. [PMID: 20049134 PMCID: PMC2801184 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0800467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2008] [Accepted: 07/20/2009] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Associations between traffic pollution on the street of residence and a range of respiratory and allergic outcomes in children have been reported in developed countries, but little is known about such associations in developing countries. METHODS The third phase of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was carried out in 13- to 14-year-old and 6- to 7-year-old children across the world. A question about frequency of truck traffic on the street of residence was included in an additional questionnaire. We investigated the association between self-reported truck traffic on the street of residence and symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema with logistic regression. Adjustments were made for sex, region of the world, language, gross national income, and 10 other subject-specific covariates. RESULTS Frequency of truck traffic on the street of residence was positively associated with the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema with an exposure-response relationship. Odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for "current wheeze" and "almost the whole day" versus "never" truck traffic were 1.35 (1.23-1.49) for 13- to 14-year-olds and 1.35 (1.22-1.48) for 6- to 7-year-olds. CONCLUSIONS Higher exposure to self-reported truck traffic on the street of residence is associated with increased reports of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in many locations in the world. These findings require further investigation in view of increasing exposure of the world's children to traffic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert Brunekreef
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences and Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Hart JE, Laden F, Puett RC, Costenbader KH, Karlson EW. Exposure to traffic pollution and increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Environ Health Perspect 2009; 117:1065-9. [PMID: 20049118 PMCID: PMC2717131 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0800503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2008] [Accepted: 03/04/2009] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that affects approximately 1% of the adult population, and to date, genetic factors explain < 50% of the risk. Particulate air pollution, especially of traffic origin, has been linked to systemic inflammation in many studies. OBJECTIVES We examined the association of distance to road, a marker of traffic pollution exposure, and incidence of RA in a prospective cohort study. METHODS We studied 90,297 U.S. women in the Nurses' Health Study. We used a geographic information system to determine distance to road at the residence in 2000 as a measure of traffic exposure. Using Cox proportional hazard models, we examined the association of distance to road and incident RA (1976-2004) with adjustment for a large number of potential confounders. RESULTS In models adjusted for age, calendar year, race, cigarette smoking, parity, lactation, menopausal status and hormone use, oral contraceptive use, body mass index, physical activity, and census-tract-level median income and house value, we observed an elevated risk of RA [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.98-1.74] in women living within 50 m of a road, compared with those women living 200 m or farther away. We also observed this association in analyses among nonsmokers (HR = 1.62; 95% CI, 1.04-2.52), nonsmokers with rheumatoid factor (RF)-negative RA (HR = 1.77; 95% CI, 0.93-3.38), and nonsmokers with RF-positive RA (HR = 1.51; 95% CI, 0.82-2.77). We saw no elevations in risk in women living 50-200 m from the road. CONCLUSIONS The observed association between exposure to traffic pollution and RA suggests that pollution from traffic in adulthood may be a newly identified environmental risk factor for RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime E. Hart
- Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Francine Laden
- Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Robin C. Puett
- South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Departments of Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Karen H. Costenbader
- Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elizabeth W. Karlson
- Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Address correspondence to E.W. Karlson, 75 Francis St., Boston, MA 02115 USA. Telephone: (617) 732-5078. Fax: (617) 731-9032. E-mail:
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Sahsuvaroglu T, Jerrett M, Sears MR, McConnell R, Finkelstein N, Arain A, Newbold B, Burnett R. Spatial analysis of air pollution and childhood asthma in Hamilton, Canada: comparing exposure methods in sensitive subgroups. Environ Health 2009; 8:14. [PMID: 19338672 PMCID: PMC2669065 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-8-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2008] [Accepted: 04/01/2009] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Variations in air pollution exposure within a community may be associated with asthma prevalence. However, studies conducted to date have produced inconsistent results, possibly due to errors in measurement of the exposures. METHODS A standardized asthma survey was administered to children in grades one and eight in Hamilton, Canada, in 1994-95 (N approximately 1467). Exposure to air pollution was estimated in four ways: (1) distance from roadways; (2) interpolated surfaces for ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and nitrous oxides from seven to nine governmental monitoring stations; (3) a kriged nitrogen dioxide (NO2) surface based on a network of 100 passive NO2 monitors; and (4) a land use regression (LUR) model derived from the same monitoring network. Logistic regressions were used to test associations between asthma and air pollution, controlling for variables including neighbourhood income, dwelling value, state of housing, a deprivation index and smoking. RESULTS There were no significant associations between any of the exposure estimates and asthma in the whole population, but large effects were detected the subgroup of children without hayfever (predominately in girls). The most robust effects were observed for the association of asthma without hayfever and NO2LUR OR = 1.86 (95%CI, 1.59-2.16) in all girls and OR = 2.98 (95%CI, 0.98-9.06) for older girls, over an interquartile range increase and controlling for confounders. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that traffic-related pollutants, such as NO2, are associated with asthma without overt evidence of other atopic disorders among female children living in a medium-sized Canadian city. The effects were sensitive to the method of exposure estimation. More refined exposure models produced the most robust associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talar Sahsuvaroglu
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, 1280 King St West, Hamilton, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Michael Jerrett
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 140 Warren Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7360, USA
| | - Malcolm R Sears
- Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, St. Joseph's Healthcare, 50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton, ON, L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1540 Alcazar Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-9010, USA
| | - Norm Finkelstein
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, 1280 King St West, Hamilton, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Altaf Arain
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, 1280 King St West, Hamilton, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Bruce Newbold
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, 1280 King St West, Hamilton, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Rick Burnett
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Division, Health Canada, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0T6, Canada
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Abstract
Pediatric asthma has many causes and can manifest differently in different children and at different times. Understanding the many factors related to the development and exacerbation of asthma is complicated by the complexity of the many environmental exposures related to asthma development and morbidity. Furthermore, the same environmental exposures that may cause increased symptoms at 1 point in time may be protective when the exposure occurs earlier or at high enough levels. We know that environmental exposures such as allergens, irritants, and pollutants are quite complex in their composition; further examination of this complexity may improve our understanding of this complex and highly prevalent disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peyton A Eggleston
- Johns Hopkins Hospital, CMSC 1105, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, 600 North Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION After having increased for some time, the prevalence of allergic diseases may have reached a plateau. During this increase, considerable concomitant changes in air pollution have occurred. Photo-oxidant air pollution, related to traffic, has become preponderant. The implication of air pollution in the epidemic of allergies is still debated. BACKGROUND Experimental studies have suggested that the effect of air pollutants, including particulates and ozone, on the worsening and even the induction of allergies is biologically plausible. In addition, epidemiological studies have shown a short term impact of the peaks of air pollution on exacerbations of asthma. On the other hand, the results of epidemiological studies dealing with the long-term effects of chronic exposure to air pollution on the prevalence of allergies are less consistent. VIEWPOINTS The implementation of new-born cohorts, the use of dispersion models to improve exposure assessment and the study of gene-environment correlations, should increase our knowledge of the role of traffic-related air pollutants in the development of allergies and identify subjects more sensitive to their effects. CONCLUSIONS Some traffic-related air pollutants may have played a more important role in the increase in the prevalence of allergies than was assumed from the first epidemiological studies.
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Parker JD, Akinbami LJ, Woodruff TJ. Air pollution and childhood respiratory allergies in the United States. Environ Health Perspect 2009; 117:140-7. [PMID: 19165401 PMCID: PMC2627858 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.11497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2008] [Accepted: 09/30/2008] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood respiratory allergies, which contribute to missed school days and other activity limitations, have increased in recent years, possibly due to environmental factors. OBJECTIVE In this study we examined whether air pollutants are associated with childhood respiratory allergies in the United States. METHODS For the approximately 70,000 children from the 1999-2005 National Health Interview Survey eligible for this study, we assigned between 40,000 and 60,000 ambient pollution monitoring data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, depending on the pollutant. We used monitors within 20 miles of the child's residential block group. We used logistic regression models, fit with methods for complex surveys, to examine the associations between the reporting of respiratory allergy or hay fever and annual average exposure to particulate matter < or = 2.5 microm in diameter (PM2.5), PM < or = 10 microm in diameter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide and summer exposure to ozone, controlling for demographic and geographic factors. RESULTS Increased respiratory allergy/hay fever was associated with increased summer O3 levels [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) per 10 ppb = 1.20; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15-1.26] and increased PM2.5 (AOR per 10 microg/m3 = 1.23; 95% CI, 1.10-1.38). These associations persisted after stratification by urban-rural status, inclusion of multiple pollutants, and definition of exposures by differing exposure radii. No associations between the other pollutants and the reporting respiratory allergy/hay fever were apparent. CONCLUSIONS These results provide evidence of adverse health for children living in areas with chronic exposure to higher levels of O3 and PM2.5 compared with children with lower exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D Parker
- National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, USA.
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Bockelbrink A, Willich SN, Dirzus I, Reich A, Lau S, Wahn U, Keil T. Environmental noise and asthma in children: sex-specific differences. J Asthma 2008; 45:770-3. [PMID: 18972293 DOI: 10.1080/02770900802252127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is evidence that stress increases the risk of asthma. Chronic noise exposure is known to act as an unspecific stressor, but little is known about its effect on the risk of asthma in children. The aim of this study was to compare subjectively reported noise annoyance in 12-year-old asthmatic and non-asthmatic children with special regard to sex-specific differences. SUBJECTS AND METHODS In a German multi-center birth cohort study we assessed the annoyance by different sources of environmental noise, doctor-diagnosed asthma, and potential confounders by questionnaire. The comparisons between asthmatic and non-asthmatic children were stratified by sex. RESULTS A total of 336 boys and 316 girls were included in the analysis. Prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma was 13% in boys and 5% in girls; 73% of the boys and 74% of the girls reported at least some degree of noise annoyance during the day and night time. In girls, asthma was associated with a significantly increased total noise annoyance at night (adjusted odds ratio aOR 1.5, 95%CI 1.1;2.1), for noise within the home/apartment (aOR 3.5, 95%CI 1.5;8.0), and in or around the house (aOR 3.3, 95%CI 1.7;6.3). No statistical significant effects were seen in boys. CONCLUSIONS Noise annoyance, particularly at night or caused by domestic sources, is associated with increased asthma prevalence in girls but not boys. Further research is needed to identify underlying mechanisms of these sex-specific differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina Bockelbrink
- Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charite University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany.
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Steerenberg P, Verlaan A, De Klerk A, Boere A, Loveren H, Cassee F. Sensitivity to Ozone, Diesel Exhaust Particles, and Standardized Ambient Particulate Matter in Rats with aListeria Monocytogenes-Induced Respiratory Infection. Inhal Toxicol 2008; 16:311-7. [PMID: 15371182 DOI: 10.1080/08958370490428436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Ambient particulate matter may increase respiratory allergic skewing of the T-cell-mediated immune response toward a T-helper-2 (Th2) response, with the consequence that the Th1 response develops less well. Successful clearing of a respiratory bacterial infection depends on an adequate Th1 immune response; therefore, the subject would not control the infection as well if exposed to particulate matter. To substantiate this hypothesis, we examined the effect of exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEP) and urban particulate matter (EHC-93, Ottawa dust) on rats with a Listeria monocytogenes respiratory infection. Since this hypothesis has been confirmed for ozone, we used it as a positive control. Wistar rats were exposed to ozone (2 mg/m3 for 24 h/day for 7 days) and to DEP or to EHC-93 (50 microg/rat intranasally daily for 7 consecutive days). Twenty-four hours after the last exposure, the rats were infected intratracheally with 1 x 10(6) L. monocytogenes bacteria. The number of L. monocytogenes was determined after 3, 4 and 5 days. Statistically significant increases of the number of L. monocytogenes in rats exposed to ozone were observed in the lungs and spleen at all three times. However, we found no significant differences in the numbers of bacteria that were found in rats exposed to DEP or EHC-93 compared to the saline-treated group at any of the three times. In conclusion, the results of this study do not support the hypothesis that exposure to DEP or EHC-93 reduces subsequent resistance to a respiratory infection in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Steerenberg
- Laboratory for Toxicology, Pathology, and Genetics, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
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Jerrett M, Shankardass K, Berhane K, Gauderman WJ, Künzli N, Avol E, Gilliland F, Lurmann F, Molitor JN, Molitor JT, Thomas DC, Peters J, McConnell R. Traffic-related air pollution and asthma onset in children: a prospective cohort study with individual exposure measurement. Environ Health Perspect 2008; 116:1433-8. [PMID: 18941591 PMCID: PMC2569108 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2007] [Accepted: 06/16/2008] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The question of whether air pollution contributes to asthma onset remains unresolved. OBJECTIVES In this study, we assessed the association between asthma onset in children and traffic-related air pollution. METHODS We selected a sample of 217 children from participants in the Southern California Children's Health Study, a prospective cohort designed to investigate associations between air pollution and respiratory health in children 10-18 years of age. Individual covariates and new asthma incidence (30 cases) were reported annually through questionnaires during 8 years of follow-up. Children had nitrogen dioxide monitors placed outside their home for 2 weeks in the summer and 2 weeks in the fall-winter season as a marker of traffic-related air pollution. We used multilevel Cox models to test the associations between asthma and air pollution. RESULTS In models controlling for confounders, incident asthma was positively associated with traffic pollution, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.29 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.07-1.56] across the average within-community interquartile range of 6.2 ppb in annual residential NO2. Using the total interquartile range for all measurements of 28.9 ppb increased the HR to 3.25 (95% CI, 1.35-7.85). CONCLUSIONS In this cohort, markers of traffic-related air pollution were associated with the onset of asthma. The risks observed suggest that air pollution exposure contributes to new-onset asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Jerrett
- School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Science, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7360, USA.
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Capon A, Sheppeard V, Irvine K, Jalaludin B, Staff M, Marks G, Willmore A. Investigating health effects in a community surrounding a road tunnel stack--a cross sectional study. Environ Health 2008; 7:46. [PMID: 18822139 PMCID: PMC2565655 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-7-46] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2008] [Accepted: 09/26/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extended tunnelled roadways requiring ventilation via exhaust stacks are an increasingly common solution to traffic congestion around the world. In response to community concerns about adverse health effects associated with emissions from a new road tunnel exhaust stack, despite no demonstrable change in local ambient air quality, we conducted a cross sectional study to test for an association between exposure to the exhaust stack emissions and the presence of eye, nose and throat symptoms. METHODS Stack emissions were modelled and categorised into areas of high, medium and low levels of exposure to emissions. A telephone interview survey was conducted in these three zones. Multivariate analysis was undertaken using Cox Proportional Hazards modelling to estimate prevalence ratios between zones for eye, nose and throat symptoms. RESULTS The prevalence of eye, nose and throat symptoms in the study area were 50 percent, 67 percent and 33 percent respectively and did not differ between the exposure zones. The presence of these symptoms was associated with a measure of reported "environmental worry". CONCLUSION The study did not demonstrate a community wide health impact associated with modelled emissions but is unable to exclude the possibility of sensitive individuals being adversely affected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Capon
- Environmental Health Branch, New South Wales Health Department, Australia
| | - Vicky Sheppeard
- Environmental Health Branch, New South Wales Health Department, Australia
| | - Katie Irvine
- NSW Biostatistical Officer Training Program, New South Wales Health Department, Australia
| | - Bin Jalaludin
- Centre for Research, Evidence Management and Surveillance, Sydney South West Area Health Service, Australia and School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Staff
- Environmental Health Branch, New South Wales Health Department, Australia
| | - Guy Marks
- Woolcock Institute Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alan Willmore
- Centre for Epidemiology and Research, New South Wales Health Department, Australia
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the degree to which neonatal illness severity, postneonatal health problems, child characteristics, parenting quality as measured by the HOME Inventory, and maternal characteristics are related to the development of wheezing in prematurely born children over the first 27 months after term. DESIGN Longitudinal predictive study. SETTING Infants were recruited from two neonatal intensive care units, one in southeast and one in Midwest. PARTICIPANTS One hundred thirteen preterm infants who weighed less than 1,500 g or required mechanical ventilation and their mothers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The presence of wheezing was obtained from maternal report at 2, 6, 9, 13, 18, 22, and 27 months. Wheezing was considered to be medically significant if the child was using bronchodilators or pulmonary antiinflammatory medications. RESULTS Sixty-eight percent of the children had wheezing at least one or more ages; 47% of the children were also taking bronchodilators or pulmonary antiinflammatory medications and thus had medically significant wheezing. CONCLUSION Postneonatal health problems and the social environment appear to be more important in developing wheezing in prematurely born children than neonatal medical complications.
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Meng YY, Wilhelm M, Rull RP, English P, Nathan S, Ritz B. Are frequent asthma symptoms among low-income individuals related to heavy traffic near homes, vulnerabilities, or both? Ann Epidemiol 2008; 18:343-50. [PMID: 18433665 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2008.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2007] [Revised: 01/08/2008] [Accepted: 01/09/2008] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate whether frequent asthma symptoms (daily/weekly symptoms) can be attributed to traffic-related exposures, poverty, and/or vulnerabilities. METHODS Annual average daily vehicle traffic density (TD) within 500 feet of 2001 California Health Interview Survey respondents' residential cross streets was calculated. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between annual average TD and frequent asthma symptoms with income as a confounder and a modifier. RESULTS After adjustment for age, sex, and race/ethnicity, a 92% increase in frequent asthma symptoms was observed among those in high TD and a 50% increase among those in medium TD compared to those in low TD. Adjustment for poverty did not change these estimates, but individuals in poverty were twice more likely to experience frequent symptoms. Furthermore, delays in care, a poor/fair health status, current/previous smoking, overweight/obese, or unemployment showed independent associations with frequent asthma symptoms. Analyses stratified on income indicated greater estimated traffic effects for asthmatics in poverty, whereas the estimates for asthmatics above the poverty level moved closer toward the null. CONCLUSIONS Traffic-related exposures, poverty and vulnerabilities all increased the risk of frequent asthma symptoms. Those in poverty appeared to be more strongly affected by heavy traffic near their residences.
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Clougherty JE, Wright RJ, Baxter LK, Levy JI. Land use regression modeling of intra-urban residential variability in multiple traffic-related air pollutants. Environ Health 2008; 7:17. [PMID: 18485201 PMCID: PMC2397396 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-7-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2007] [Accepted: 05/16/2008] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a growing body of literature linking GIS-based measures of traffic density to asthma and other respiratory outcomes. However, no consensus exists on which traffic indicators best capture variability in different pollutants or within different settings. As part of a study on childhood asthma etiology, we examined variability in outdoor concentrations of multiple traffic-related air pollutants within urban communities, using a range of GIS-based predictors and land use regression techniques. METHODS We measured fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and elemental carbon (EC) outside 44 homes representing a range of traffic densities and neighborhoods across Boston, Massachusetts and nearby communities. Multiple three to four-day average samples were collected at each home during winters and summers from 2003 to 2005. Traffic indicators were derived using Massachusetts Highway Department data and direct traffic counts. Multivariate regression analyses were performed separately for each pollutant, using traffic indicators, land use, meteorology, site characteristics, and central site concentrations. RESULTS PM2.5 was strongly associated with the central site monitor (R2 = 0.68). Additional variability was explained by total roadway length within 100 m of the home, smoking or grilling near the monitor, and block-group population density (R2 = 0.76). EC showed greater spatial variability, especially during winter months, and was predicted by roadway length within 200 m of the home. The influence of traffic was greater under low wind speed conditions, and concentrations were lower during summer (R2 = 0.52). NO2 showed significant spatial variability, predicted by population density and roadway length within 50 m of the home, modified by site characteristics (obstruction), and with higher concentrations during summer (R2 = 0.56). CONCLUSION Each pollutant examined displayed somewhat different spatial patterns within urban neighborhoods, and were differently related to local traffic and meteorology. Our results indicate a need for multi-pollutant exposure modeling to disentangle causal agents in epidemiological studies, and further investigation of site-specific and meteorological modification of the traffic-concentration relationship in urban neighborhoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane E Clougherty
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Landmark Center 4th Floor West, P.O. Box 15677, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- Channing Laboratory, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard School of Public Health; Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Lisa K Baxter
- National Exposure Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Jonathan I Levy
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Landmark Center 4th Floor West, P.O. Box 15677, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Abstract
Rapidly expanding evidence increasingly strengthens the evidence linking psychological factors to asthma and allergy expression. Parallel studies in animals and humans demonstrating the influence of prenatal maternal stress and early caregiving experiences on the disrupted regulation of defensive biological systems [eg, sympathetic and adrenomedullary (SAM) system and the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis] provide strong proof of concept for this line of research. The consequent altered neuroimmune responses may influence the expression of immune-mediated disorders such as asthma as well as enhance an individual's susceptibility to other environmental factors that may also contribute to asthma risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalind J Wright
- Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
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Piro FN, Madsen C, Næss Ø, Nafstad P, Claussen B. A comparison of self reported air pollution problems and GIS-modeled levels of air pollution in people with and without chronic diseases. Environ Health 2008; 7:9. [PMID: 18307757 PMCID: PMC2289819 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-7-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2007] [Accepted: 02/28/2008] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore various contributors to people's reporting of self reported air pollution problems in area of living, including GIS-modeled air pollution, and to investigate whether those with respiratory or other chronic diseases tend to over-report air pollution problems, compared to healthy people. METHODS Cross-sectional data from the Oslo Health Study (2000-2001) were linked with GIS-modeled air pollution data from the Norwegian Institute of Air Research. Multivariate regression analyses were performed. 14 294 persons aged 30, 40, 45, 60 or 75 years old with complete information on modeled and self reported air pollution were included. RESULTS People who reported air pollution problems were exposed to significantly higher GIS-modeled air pollution levels than those who did not report such problems. People with chronic disease, reported significantly more air pollution problems after adjustment for modeled levels of nitrogen dioxides, socio-demographic variables, smoking, depression, dwelling conditions and an area deprivation index, even if they had a non-respiratory disease. No diseases, however, were significantly associated with levels of nitrogen dioxides. CONCLUSION Self reported air pollution problems in area of living are strongly associated with increased levels of GIS-modeled air pollution. Over and above this, those who report to have a chronic disease tend to report more air pollution problems in area of living, despite no significant difference in air pollution exposure compared to healthy people, and no associations between these diseases and NO2. Studies on the association between self reported air pollution problems and health should be aware of the possibility that disease itself may influence the reporting of air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik Niclas Piro
- Institute of General Practice and Community Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1130 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
| | - Christian Madsen
- Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Øyvind Næss
- Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Per Nafstad
- Institute of General Practice and Community Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1130 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
- Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørgulf Claussen
- Institute of General Practice and Community Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1130 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
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Rava M, Verlato G, Bono R, Ponzio M, Sartori S, Blengio G, Kuenzli N, Heinrich J, Götschi T, de Marco R. A predictive model for the home outdoor exposure to nitrogen dioxide. Sci Total Environ 2007; 384:163-70. [PMID: 17658585 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2007] [Revised: 06/06/2007] [Accepted: 06/08/2007] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to find and test a predictive model that could be suitable to estimate the outdoor NO(2) concentrations at individual level, by integrating ecological measurements recorded by local monitoring stations with individual information collected by a questionnaire. For this purpose, the data from the Italian centres of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II (ECRHS II) has been used. Outdoor NO(2) concentrations were measured using NO(2) passive sampling tubes (PS-NO(2)), exposed outdoor for 14 days, between January 2001 and January 2003. Simultaneously, average NO(2) concentrations were collected from all the monitoring stations of the three centres (MS-NO(2)). Individual measurements carried out with passive samplers were compared with the corresponding NO(2) 2-week concentrations obtained as the average of all local (background and traffic) monitoring stations (MS-NO(2)). A multiple linear regression model was fitted to the data using the 2-week PS-NO(2) concentrations as the response variable and questionnaire information and MS-NO(2) concentrations as predictors. The model minimizing the root mean square error (RMSE), obtained from a ten-fold cross validation, was selected. The model with the best predictive ability included centre, season of the survey, MS-NO(2) concentrations, type and age of building, residential area and reported intensity of heavy-duty traffic and explained the 68.9% of the variance. The non-parametric correlation between PS-NO(2) and the concentrations estimated by the model is 0.81 (95% CI: 0.77-0.85). This study shows that over short periods (2 weeks) a good prediction of home outdoor exposure to NO(2) can be achieved by simply combining routinely collected ecological data with dwelling characteristics and self-reported intensity of heavy traffic. Further studies are needed to extend this prediction to long-term exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rava
- Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Medicine and Public Health, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy.
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Modig L, Forsberg B. Perceived annoyance and asthmatic symptoms in relation to vehicle exhaust levels outside home: a cross-sectional study. Environ Health 2007; 6:29. [PMID: 17903240 PMCID: PMC2048499 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-6-29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2007] [Accepted: 09/28/2007] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exhaust emissions from vehicles is a well known problem with both epidemiological and experimental studies showing increasing adverse health effects with elevating levels. Many of the studies concerning vehicle exhausts and health are focused on health outcomes where the proportion attributed to exhaust is low, while there is less information on early and more frequent subjective indicators of adverse effects. METHODS The primary aim of this study was to study perceived annoyance in relation to vehicle exhaust concentrations using modelled levels of nitrogen dioxide outside the home as an indicator with high spatial resolution. Almost 2800 persons in a random sample from three Swedish cities (Umea, Uppsala and Gothenburg) responded to our questionnaire. Questions were asked to determine the degree of annoyance related to vehicle exhausts and also the prevalence of irritating and asthmatic symptoms. Exposure was described for each participants home address by meteorological dispersion models with a 50 meter resolution. RESULTS We found a significant increase of peoples' self-assessed annoyance with rising levels of NO2. The odds of being very annoyed by vehicle exhausts increased by 14% per 1 microg/m3 increase of the NO2 level (odds ratio (OR) = 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.11-1.18), and the odds of reporting the air as daily or almost daily irritating increased by 9% (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.05-1.13). Also the odds of reporting asthmatic symptoms increased significantly with elevated NO2 levels (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01-1.07). CONCLUSION This study found the degree of annoyance related to vehicle exhaust and irritating and asthmatic symptoms to be significantly dependent on the levels of traffic related pollutants outside the home. The detailed exposure assessment lowers the degree of misclassification as compared to between-city analyses, which makes the results more accurate and applicable on the local scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Modig
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Bertil Forsberg
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
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Clougherty JE, Levy JI, Kubzansky LD, Ryan PB, Suglia SF, Canner MJ, Wright RJ. Synergistic effects of traffic-related air pollution and exposure to violence on urban asthma etiology. Environ Health Perspect 2007; 115:1140-6. [PMID: 17687439 PMCID: PMC1940095 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.9863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2006] [Accepted: 03/22/2007] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disproportionate life stress and consequent physiologic alteration (i.e., immune dysregulation) has been proposed as a major pathway linking socioeconomic position, environmental exposures, and health disparities. Asthma, for example, disproportionately affects lower-income urban communities, where air pollution and social stressors may be elevated. OBJECTIVES We aimed to examine the role of exposure to violence (ETV), as a chronic stressor, in altering susceptibility to traffic-related air pollution in asthma etiology. METHODS We developed geographic information systems (GIS)-based models to retrospectively estimate residential exposures to traffic-related pollution for 413 children in a community-based pregnancy cohort, recruited in East Boston, Massachusetts, between 1987 and 1993, using monthly nitrogen dioxide measurements for 13 sites over 18 years. We merged pollution estimates with questionnaire data on lifetime ETV and examined the effects of both on childhood asthma etiology. RESULTS Correcting for potential confounders, we found an elevated risk of asthma with a 1-SD (4.3 ppb) increase in NO(2) exposure solely among children with above-median ETV [odds ratio (OR) = 1.63; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14-2.33)]. Among children always living in the same community, with lesser exposure measurement error, this association was magnified (OR = 2.40; 95% CI, 1.48-3.88). Of multiple exposure periods, year-of-diagnosis NO(2) was most predictive of asthma outcomes. CONCLUSIONS We found an association between traffic-related air pollution and asthma solely among urban children exposed to violence. Future studies should consider socially patterned susceptibility, common spatial distributions of social and physical environmental factors, and potential synergies among these. Prospective assessment of physical and social exposures may help determine causal pathways and critical exposure periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane E Clougherty
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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