A Comparison between Temperature-Controlled Laminar Airflow Device and a Room Air-Cleaner in Reducing Exposure to Particles While Asleep

Abstract

People spend approximately one third of their life sleeping. Exposure to pollutants in the sleep environment often leads to a variety of adverse health effects, such as development and exacerbation of asthma. Avoiding exposure to these pollutants by providing a sufficient air quality in the sleep environment might be a feasible method to alleviate these health symptoms.We performed full-scale laboratory measurements using a thermal manikin positioned on an experimental bed. Three ventilation settings were tested: with no filtration system operated, use of portable air cleaner and use of a temperature-controlled laminar airflow (TLA) device. The first part of the experiment investigated the air-flow characteristics in the breathing zone. In the second part, particle removal efficiency was estimated. Measured in the breathing zone, the room air cleaner demonstrated high turbulence intensity, high velocity and turbulence diffusivity level, with a particle reduction rate of 52% compared to baseline after 30 minutes. The TLA device delivered a laminar airflow to the breathing zone with a reduction rate of 99.5%. During a periodical duvet lifting mimicking a subject’s movement in bed, the particle concentration was significantly lower with the TLA device compared to the room air cleaner. The TLA device provided a barrier which significantly reduced the introduction of airborne particles into the breathing zone. Further studies should be conducted for the understanding of the transport of resuspended particles between the duvet and the laying body.

Temperature‐controlled laminar airflow (TLA) device in the treatment of children with severe atopic eczema: Open‐label, proof‐of‐concept study

“…SCORAD was reduced from a median of 34.9 [interquartile range 28.75-45.15] at Baseline to 17.2 [12.95-32.3] at the final visit, and IGA improved significantly from 4 [3-4] to 2 [1-3]. We observed a significant improvement in .0] to 12 [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18], P = .023) and DFI (P = .011), but not CDQLI or POEM. Compared to 6-month period prior to enrolment, there was a significant reduction at six months after the start of the intervention in potent topical corticosteroids (P = .033).…”

“…For example, there is ample evidence supporting the adverse health effects of air pollution and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure, and both of these exposures may have a negative impact on AE severity . It should be noted that TLA reduces exposure to all particles in the inhaled air which can be deposited in the respiratory tract . This may reduce personal exposure to a number of pollutants, irritants and other allergens (such as food proteins which are present in house dust).…”

“…Convection and flow of warm air transport particle‐laden air towards the breathing zone, contributing to potentially higher personal exposure overnight compared with usual daily activities . This process is reversed by the TLA device . Although we do not know enough about the effect of overnight exposures on disease activity, one might hypothesize that allowing a break from exposure to allergens and/or other particles for part of the 24‐hour period may allow some recovery, and facilitate immunological changes.…”

“…We hypothesized that effective reduction in exposure to inhaled allergens and other environmental triggers remains a potentially effective intervention which may reduce disease severity amongst sensitized patients with severe AE. One intervention that has been shown to markedly reduce personal exposure to inhaled allergen, and other inhaled particles are the temperature‐controlled laminar airflow (TLA) device . TLA reduces the allergen and particle load in the patients’ breathing zone by vertically displacing the contaminations originating from the bed and the room environment and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of atopic asthma .…”

“…One intervention that has been shown to markedly reduce personal exposure to inhaled allergen, and other inhaled particles are the temperature-controlled laminar airflow (TLA) device. 14,15 TLA reduces the allergen and particle load in the patients' breathing zone by vertically displacing the contaminations originating from the bed and the room environment 16 and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of atopic asthma. 16,17 Therefore, to address our hypothesis, we undertook an open-label, proof-of-concept study of the efficacy of a TLA device as an add-on to pharmacological management of children and adolescents with very severe AE.…”