WRA is a common but frequently unrecognized health problem, and this lack of recognition might contribute to poorer asthma control among adults with WRA. Because early recognition, treatment, and management of WRA are crucial for improving long-term prognosis, clinicians need to include assessment of workplace triggers in both their diagnostic and treatment plans for adult patients with asthma.
Background
Previous research has revealed links between air pollution exposure and metabolic syndrome in adults; however, these associations are less explored in children.
Objective
This study aims to investigate the association between traffic-related air pollutants (TRAP) and biomarkers of metabolic dysregulation, oxidative stress, and lung epithelial damage in children.
Methods
We conducted cross-sectional analyses in a sample of predominantly Latinx, low-income children (n = 218) to examine associations between air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), elemental carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide (CO), fine particulates (PM2.5)) and biomarkers of metabolic function (high-density lipoprotein (HDL), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), oxidative stress (8-isoprostane), and lung epithelial damage (club cell protein 16 (CC16)).
Results
HDL cholesterol showed an inverse association with NO2 and NOx, with the strongest relationship between HDL and 3-month exposure to NO2 (–15.4 mg/dL per IQR increase in 3-month NO2, 95% CI = –27.4, –3.4). 8-isoprostane showed a consistent pattern of increasing values with 1-day and 1-week exposure across all pollutants. Non-significant increases in % HbA1c were found during 1-month time frames and decreasing CC16 in 3-month exposure time frames.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that TRAP is significantly associated with decreased HDL cholesterol in longer-term time frames and elevated 8-isoprostane in shorter-term time frames. TRAP could have the potential to influence lifelong metabolic patterns, through metabolic effects in childhood.
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