Ambient air pollution triggers wheezing symptoms in infants

Thorax. 2008 Aug;63(8):710-6. doi: 10.1136/thx.2007.085480. Epub 2008 Feb 11.

Abstract

Background: There is limited evidence for the role of air pollution in the development and triggering of wheezing symptoms in young children. A study was undertaken to examine the effect of exposure to air pollution on wheezing symptoms in children under the age of 3 years with genetic susceptibility to asthma.

Methods: Daily recordings of symptoms were obtained for 205 children participating in the birth cohort study Copenhagen Prospective Study on Asthma in Children and living in Copenhagen for the first 3 years of life. Daily air pollution levels for particulate matter <10 microm in diameter (PM(10)) and the concentrations of ultrafine particles, nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), nitrogen oxide (NO(x)) and carbon monoxide (CO) were available from a central background monitoring station in Copenhagen. The association between incident wheezing symptoms and air pollution on the concurrent and previous 4 days was estimated by a logistic regression model (generalised estimating equation) controlling for temperature, season, gender, age, exposure to smoking and paternal history of asthma.

Results: Significant positive associations were found between concentrations of PM(10), NO(2), NO(x), CO and wheezing symptoms in infants (aged 0-1 year) with a delay of 3-4 days. Only the traffic-related gases (NO(2), NO(x)) showed significant effects throughout the 3 years of life, albeit attenuating after the age of 1 year.

Conclusions: Air pollution related to traffic is significantly associated with triggering of wheezing symptoms in the first 3 years of life.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis
  • Air Pollutants / toxicity*
  • Air Pollution / adverse effects*
  • Air Pollution / analysis
  • Asthma / genetics
  • Carbon Monoxide / toxicity
  • Child, Preschool
  • Denmark
  • Epidemiologic Methods
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Nitrogen Dioxide / analysis
  • Nitrogen Dioxide / toxicity
  • Nitrogen Oxides / analysis
  • Nitrogen Oxides / toxicity
  • Particulate Matter / analysis
  • Particulate Matter / toxicity
  • Pedigree
  • Prospective Studies
  • Respiratory Sounds / etiology*
  • Time Factors
  • Vehicle Emissions / analysis
  • Vehicle Emissions / toxicity

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Nitrogen Oxides
  • Particulate Matter
  • Vehicle Emissions
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Nitrogen Dioxide