The impact of exposure to desert dust on infants’ symptoms and countermeasures to reduce the effects

Abstract

Background:The association between particulate matter (PM), including desert dust, and allergic symptoms has not been well studied. We examined whether PM exacerbated nose/eye/respiratory symptoms in infants, with a focus on the desert dust element, and assessed possible countermeasures. Methods:We conducted a panel study of 1492 infants from October 2014 to July 2016 in 3 regions in Japan as an adjunct study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study. Infants' daily symptom scores and behaviors were acquired by web-based questionnaires sent to mothers, who answered within a day using mobile phones. Odds ratios (OR) for symptom development per increased fine PM or desert dust exposure were estimated. Regular use of medications and behaviors on the day of exposure were investigated as possible effect modifiers.Results: Infants developed nose/eye/respiratory symptoms significantly more often in accordance with fine particulate levels (adjusted OR per 10 µg/m 3 increase: 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.07). A model including both fine particulates and desert dust showed reduced OR for fine particulates and robust OR for desert dust (adjusted OR per 0.1/km increase: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09-1.23). An increased OR was observed both in infants who had previously wheezed and in those who had never wheezed. Receiving information on the particulate forecast, reducing time outdoors, closing windows, and regular use of leukotriene receptor antagonists were significant effect modifiers. Conclusions: Transborder desert dust arrival increased the risk of nose/eye/respiratory symptoms development in infants. Regular use of leukotriene receptor antagonists and other countermeasures reduced the risk. K E Y W O R D S allergy control score, asian dust, Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA), particulate matter (PM) 2.5 | 1443 ITAZAWA eT Al.by their mothers on the PM forecast, reducing their time outdoors, closing windows, avoiding airing clothes and futons, and regular use of LTRA will alleviate symptoms.

Advances and highlights in allergic rhinitis

“…12 Changes in climatic factors (temperature, wind speed, humidity, thunderstorms, desert dust, etc. ), which can prolong the pollen season and create new sources of pollen due to new invasive species, 8,10,11,13 have recently received much attention. To this end, an earlier start of birch pollen season as well as a significant increase in the number of days with high pollen counts has been noticed in Munich, Germany, over the last three decades.…”

Prospective Association of Air-Purifier Usage during Pregnancy with Infant Neurodevelopment: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study—Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)

“…Given the underlying mechanism by which the usage of air purifiers prevents impaired neurodevelopment in infants via elimination of airborne PM [4,[7][8][9]15], other methods that reduce PM would exert a similar effect in principle. Examples include wearing a mask, closing windows to shut out polluted air [30], ventilating a room [15,31], and temporarily residing in places with clean air. However, it should be noted that this working hypothesis regarding PM is one possibility among others.…”

E-Cadherin: An Important Functional Molecule at Respiratory Barrier Between Defence and Dysfunction

“…In some of epidemiologic previous studies, an association has been found between exposure to cleaning products and increased risk of asthma ( Siracusa et al, 2013 ). In addition, recent reports have identified that adverse environmental conditions increase respiratory tract diseases and sensitivity to some allergens ( Eguiluz-Gracia et al, 2020 ; Itazawa et al, 2020 ). The effect of environmental factors on the epithelial barrier structure is summarized in Table 1 .…”