Effects of air quality on chronic respiratory symptoms adjusted for allergy among preadolescent children

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the respiratory effects of outdoor air pollution after correcting for allergy and indoor air quality. The respiratory health survey targeted 1,129 schoolchildren, 9 yrs of age, attending schools in Krakow located in city areas differing in outdoor air pollution levels. Chronic phlegm as a unique symptom was related neither to allergy nor to indoor variables, but was associated with the outdoor air pollution level (odds ratio (OR): 4.2; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-16.9). The same relationship has been confirmed for the self-reported local sources of industrial air pollution in the area of residence (OR: 4.2; 95% CI: 1.5-11.7). Hay fever appeared to be related to outdoor air pollution level (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.1-2.0) and self-reported heavy traffic (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.0-1.7). In the total sample, wheezing was connected exclusively to allergy and parental atopy, while attacks of dyspnoea with wheezing and asthma diagnosed by physician only were associated with allergy. Since the effect of outdoor pollutants on chronic cough and wheezing (odds ratio: 1.85; 95% confidence interval: 1.03-3.33) was only shown to be significant in the subsample of children without allergy and parental atopy, it may be postulated that either allergy is predisposing to respiratory reactions, or outdoor air pollution is coinvolved in an allergization process of the preadolescent children. Consequently, allergy should be considered as an important confound in epidemiological studies on the respiratory effects of air pollution.

Nonallergic respiratory morbidity improved along with a decline of traditional air pollution levels: a review

“…Cross-sectional studies in Switzerland, Germany and Poland have reported statistically significant associations between TSP, PM10 and nonallergic respiratory symptoms [12,42,43] as well as between black smoke and SO 2 and slowed lung function growth [44]. Uncontrolled regional confounding might be a major source of the inconsistent results of different cross-sectional studies.…”

The effect of house dust mite sensitization on lung size and airway caliber in symptomatic and nonsymptomatic preadolescent children: a community-based study in Poland.

“…For correct interpretation of lung function indices and prediction of expected normal values, one must consider age, sex, and body size of given subjects (14). Technical details of spirometric measurements have been published elsewhere (11,12). We excluded from the study three children with asthma diagnosed by a physician who were receiving treatment for asthma.…”

“…The subjects of this cross-sectional study were 12-year-old children who participated in the Krakow 3-year prospective cohort study (1995-1998) described elsewhere (11,12). Of 1,044 children taking part in the cohort study, a random sample of 400 children was invited to participate in the atopy study (13); 311 children (response rate, 77.8%) provided respiratory health data, anthropometric and spirometric measurements, and skin prick test results.…”

Prevalence of Cement Dust Exposure Related Illnesses among Residents of A Mining Community in North West Nigeria

“…7 Many of these air pollutants have been associated with increased respiratory morbidity and mortality across all age groups. [8][9][10] Children have been identified as a particularly high risk and vulnerable group. 10 In a community in which such an industrial activity has been carried out on for 44years, its impact on the health of residents warrants attention and needs to be investigated.…”