The effect of low-volatile organic compounds, water-based paint on aggravation of allergic disease in schoolchildren

Abstract

Whether indoor painting aggravates preexisting allergic diseases remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the impact of new classroom painting on aggravation of asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), and atopic dermatitis (AD) in children. Studied school was previously painted with conventional water-based paint 20 years ago and had natural ventilation system. We identified a total of 172 children aged 10-12 years with allergic diseases in 17 classrooms, which were allocated to newly painted rooms with low-volatile organic compounds (VOC), water-based paint, or existing rooms. After painting, there was no intervention or internal airflow to influence indoor air environment in both classrooms. We prospectively assessed the symptom severity and serious events of allergic diseases between both classrooms at baseline and after one and eight weeks after painting. At one and eight weeks, there were no significant changes in the Childhood Asthma Control Test scores, the fractional nitric oxide levels, lung function in asthmatic children in either classroom. There were also no significant changes in the severity score of AR or AD, or serious events in all allergic diseases. These findings suggest classroom painting with this new paint at the levels encountered in this study might not be a major aggravating factor for school-aged children with allergic diseases.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Urticaria With a Focus on Chronic Urticaria in Children

“…Further studies are needed to confirm the effect of indoor pollutant exposure on chronic urticaria in cases of remodeling house or moving into another house and to assess the relationships of environmental pollutants and indoor chemicals with symptoms of urticaria. 33 …”

Prevalence and indoor environment risk factors of otitis among preschool children in Urumqi, China

“…Indoor decorative materials have been repeatedly associated with the occurrence of respiratory diseases in children. 2 , 17 , 18 The results of this study showed that floor material, wall surface material, and carpet placement in a room were associated with otitis occurrence in children. It is presumed that newly purchased furniture and renovation materials in dwellings have some volatilization of chemical composition.…”

Pediatric Asthma Attack and Home Paint Exposure

“…Emerging literature document that early exposure to indoor VOCs from renovation, furniture and other sources are associated with onset and persistence of asthma symptoms and symptom severity [21][22][23][24]. While respiratory health effects of VOCs have been subject to research scrutiny [6,25,26], this research makes a novel contribution by assessing the association of paint exposure with asthma attack among children. The findings of this research have health and policy implications for managing VOC exposure from paints.…”