To study the prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB), 400 schoolchildren, aged 7-15 years, 200 each from urban and rural areas were administered a standard respiratory questionnaire, spirometry and exercise challenge. The study documented a higher prevalence of EIB in urban areas compared with rural area, 13 vs. 10 per cent. The family members of urban children had significant histories of asthma and allergy.

The prevalence of respiratory problems and the ventilatory functions in subjects belonging to three sample areas with different levels of pollution was studied to ascertain if there is any association between air pollutant levels and abnormal ventilatory functions. The predominant activity existing in that area served as the basis for stratification of the city into industrial (Group I), commercial (Group II) and residential (Group III) areas. Ambient air quality data of suspended particulate matter SPM, SO2 and NOx of the three sample areas were measured using standard methods. 216 men included in the study were administered the American Thoracic Society--Division of Lung Diseases ATS-DLD respiratory questionnaire, clinically examined and subjected to routine laboratory investigations. Spirometry and salbutamol reversibility tests were performed as per the ATS guidelines 1991. The mean and peak levels of SPM in the commercial area and the peak levels in the residential area were higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The mean and peak levels of NOx and SO2 in all the three areas were lower than the NAAQS. A high prevalence of approximately 30-50% of respiratory symptoms was reported in the present study. Respiratory and ventilatory abnormalities were higher in the commercial areas, which are associated with the higher mean and peak levels of SO2 and the peak levels of NOx. The pollution control measures should also aim at the peak levels of pollutants as they have been shown to exacerbate the respiratory symptoms in the present study.

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