Residential traffic-related pollution exposures and exhaled nitric oxide in the children's health study

Background: The fractional concentration of nitric oxide in exhaled air (Fe_NO) potentially detects airway inflammation related to air pollution exposure. Existing studies have not yet provided conclusive evidence on the association of Fe_NO with traffic-related pollution (TRP).Objectives: We evaluated the association of Fe_NO with residential TRP exposure in a large cohort of children.Methods: We related Fe_NO measured on 2,143 children (ages 7–11 years) who participated in the Southern California Children’s Health Study (CHS) to five classes of metrics of residential TRP: distances to freeways and major roads; length of all and local roads within circular buffers around the home; traffic densities within buffers; annual average line source dispersion modeled nitrogen oxides (NO_x) from freeways and nonfreeway roads; and predicted annual average nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and NO_x from a model based on intracommunity sampling in the CHS.Results: In children with asthma, length of roads was positively associated with Fe_NO, with stronger associations in smaller buffers [46.7%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 14.3–88.4], 12.4% (95% CI, –8.8 to 38.4), and 4.1% (95% CI, –14.6 to 26.8) higher Fe_NO for 100-, 300-, and 1,000-m increases in the length of all roads in 50-, 100-, and 200-m buffers, respectively. Other TRP metrics were not significantly associated with Fe_NO, even though the study design was powered to detect exposures explaining as little as 0.4% of the variation in natural log-transformed Fe_NO (R² = 0.004).Conclusion: Length of road was the only indicator of residential TRP exposure associated with airway inflammation in children with asthma, as measured by Fe_NO.     

Short-term impact of particulate matter (PM(2.5)) on respiratory mortality in Madrid

Objectives: This paper sought to quantify the particulate matter (PM_2.5) pollutant's impact on short-term daily respiratory-cause mortality in the city of Madrid.

Methods: As our dependent variable, we took daily mortality registered in Madrid from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2005, attributed to all diseases of the respiratory system as classified under heads J00–J99 of the ICD 10 and broken down as follows: J12–J18, pneumonia; J40–J44, chronic diseases of the respiratory system except asthma; J45–J46, asthma; and J96, respiratory failure.

Results: The relative risk (RR) for daily overall respiratory mortality was RR 1.0281 (1.0043–1.0520), with a proportional attributable risk (PAR) of 2.74%. This effect occurred in lag 1; respiratory failure, RR 1.0816 (1.0119–1.1512) and PAR 7.54% at lag 5; and pneumonia, RR 1.0438 (1.0001–1.0875) and PAR 4.19% at lag 6.

Conclusions: Our results reflect the association that exists between PM_2.5 concentrations and daily respiratory-cause mortality.     

Effect of prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter on ventilatory lung function of preschool children of non‐smoking mothers

Jedrychowski WA, Perera FP, Maugeri U, Mroz E, Klimaszewska‐Rembiasz M, Flak E, Edwards S, Spengler JD. Effect of prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter on ventilatory lung function of preschool children of non‐smoking mothers. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2010. Impaired fetal development is associated with a number of adult chronic diseases and it is believed that these associations arise as a result of the phenomenon of prenatal programming, which involves persisting changes in structure and function of various body organs caused by ambient factors during critical and vulnerable periods of early development. The main goal of the study was to assess the association between lung function in early childhood and prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), which represents a wide range of chemical compounds potentially hazardous for fetal development. Among pregnant women recruited prenatally to the study, personal measurements of PM_2.5 were performed over 48 h in the second trimester of pregnancy. After delivery, infants were followed for 5 years; the interviewers visited participants in their homes to record children's respiratory symptoms every 3 months in the child's first 2 years of life and every 6 months thereafter. In the fifth year of the follow‐up, children were invited for standard lung function testing of levels of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) and forced expiratory volume in 0.5 s (FEV_0.5). There were 176 children of non‐smoking mothers, who performed at least two acceptable spirometry measurements. Multivariable linear regression showed a significant deficit of FVC at the highest quartile of PM_2.5 exposure (beta coefficient = ?91.9, P = 0.008), after adjustment for covariates (age, gender, birthweight, height and wheezing). Also FEV₁ level in children was inversely correlated with prenatal exposure to PM_2.5, and the average FEV₁ deficit amounted to 87.7 mL (P = 0.008) at the higher level of exposure. Although the effect of PM_2.5 exposure on FEV_0.5 was proportionally weaker (?72.7, P = 0.026), it was also statistically significant. The lung function level was inversely and significantly associated with the wheezing recorded over the follow‐up. The findings showed that significant lung function deficits in early childhood are associated with prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter, which may affect fetal lung growth.     

空气细颗粒物对交通警察肺通气功能及呼吸道症状的影响

目的 研究空气细颗粒物(PM2.5)暴露对交通警察呼吸道症状及肺通气功能的影响.方法 使用个体采样器测定上海市区107名男性外勤交通警察(高暴露组)及101名居民(一般暴露组)PM2.5的暴露情况,问卷调查获得交通警察和居民的基本情况、呼吸道症状,测定用力呼气肺活量(FVC)、第1秒用力呼气容积(FEV1.0)、FEV1.0/FVC%和最大呼出流速(PEF).比较交通警察和居民PM2.5暴露及呼吸道症状、肺通气功能的差异,对交通警察按工龄分组,研究工龄对肺通气功能的影响,并对肺通气功能降低与颗粒物暴露水平的进行相关分析.结果 交通警察和居民细颗粒物24 h个体平均暴露浓度为分别(115.4±46.17)和(74.94±40.09)μg/m3,高暴露组PM2.5暴露水平明显高于一般暴露组,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).高暴露组咳嗽、咳痰、咽部不适及气喘、气短和鼻部不适的发生率明显高于一般暴露组,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),高暴露组肺通气功能指标FVC实测/FVC预计%和FEV 1.0实测/FEV1.0预计%的异常率分别为25.23%和12.15%,一般暴露组FVC实测/FVC预计%和FEV1.0实测/FEV1.0预计%的异常率分别为11.88%和2.97%,两组比较,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),且高暴露组FVC实测/FVC预计%、FEV1.0实测/FEV1.0预计%异常率随工龄延长呈现升高的趋势.结论 长期暴露于较高水平的PM2.5会危害人体呼吸系统健康,导致呼吸道症状增多,降低肺通气功能.     

济南城区空气污染对呼吸道疾病门诊量的影响

目的通过对小学生健康状况的调查及肺功能的测定,结合冬季社区空气质量检测,了解空气污染对小学生健康状况的影响。方法选择宝山区内1所小学,对全部学生610人进行健康影响问卷调查,在参加调查的学生中再随机抽取163名学生展开肺功能测试。结果调查期间,空气质量非达标日26 d,空气质量达标日35 d,空气质量指数日均值为102.4±48.9;学生疾病或症状发生的每日均值为(21±18)例。肺功能结果中,1秒用力呼气量女生在非达标日和达标日差异有统计学意义,呼气峰值流速(PEF)、25%用力呼气流量(V25)、V75男生和女生在达标日和非达标日差异均有统计学意义。结论在本地区,冬季不良空气质量对小学生呼吸系统有一定的影响。     

Developement of health risk rating scale for indoor airborne fungal exposure

Abstract

This paper aims to quantify airborne fungal load in air-conditioned rooms and develop a health risk rating scale for different indoor environments. Five sampling locations in Kolkata frequented by a heterogeneous human population, containing various types of fungal growth-promoting substances (FGPS) like old documents, food items, waste hair, etc. were chosen as sampling locations where an Andersen Two-Stage Cascade Impactor was ran using Rose Bengal agar and Potato Dextrose agar media plates. Total spore load (CFU/m³), species diversity, species dominance, human exposure time, susceptible age and FGPS were considered the risk factors for this study. A risk rating scale was developed after evaluating the relative importance of these different factors in relation to human health. The most dominant genera were Aspergillus, followed by Penicillium. Maximum CFU was observed at library, followed by computer room.     

北京市大气可吸入性颗粒物污染对居民死亡影响的时间序列分析

目的评估宁波市大气可吸入颗粒物(PM₁₀)短期暴露造成人群死亡的归因风险。方法收集宁波市2011—2015年人群死亡、空气污染和气象资料,利用时间序列研究方法和分布滞后非线性模型,分析PM₁₀短期暴露造成人群死亡的超额危险度、归因死亡人数和人群归因分值。结果PM₁₀短期浓度升高与人群死亡数增加相关,效应存在明显的滞后性和持续性,日均浓度每升高10 μg/m³,总死亡累积4 d(Lag0~3)的超额危险度为0.35%(95%CI:0.16%~0.53%)。宁波市2011—2015年归因于PM₁₀短期暴露的总死亡人数为3 972例(95%CI：1 877~6 032),人群归因分值为2.15%(95%CI：1.02%~3.27%)。呼吸系统疾病对PM₁₀更为敏感,其归因死亡人数和人群归因分值分别为1 323例(95%CI：619~1 990)和4.68%(95%CI：2.19%~7.03%);女性和高年龄组人群的归因风险分别高于男性和低年龄组。如果将PM₁₀日均浓度控制在150 μg/m³和100 μg/m³限值以内,人群归因风险将分别下降25.45%和53.07%。结论PM₁₀浓度变化对健康有较大的影响,应立即采用有效的控制措施。     

Health Effects of Exposure to High Concentrations of Automotive Emissions

On-site and remote health evaluations were performed on 550 employees of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority in New York City. Extremely high ambient air pollution was observed. Carbon monoxide averaged 63 ppm over a 30-day period with a maximum hourly concentration of 217 ppm in one facility. Eighty-five percent of the smoking and 47% of the nonsmoking tunnel workers had carboxyhemoglobin saturations in excess of 3%. A high percentage of the group had symptoms suggestive of chronic bronchitis; airway resistance was elevated in one third and almost all bridge and tunnel workers had an increase in closing volume, suggesting small airway disease.     

上海市宝山区空气中PM10和PM2.5污染状况分析

目的探讨上海市闵行区大气污染物对低出生体重的影响。方法从闵行区6家设有妇产科的医院收集2015—2016年全部新生儿个案资料和同期临近国控站点的空气质量监测值。分别以是否发生低出生体重和出生体重数值为应变量,建立多因素logistic回归模型和多元线性回归模型,在控制个体和环境水平混杂因素后,分别分析孕早期、孕中期和孕晚期大气污染物暴露对低出生体重儿发生风险和出生体重大小的影响。结果研究期间,闵行区新生儿出生体重平均为3 359 g,其中低出生体重儿(小于2 500 g)发生率为3.01%。在孕早期各空气污染物对低出生体重发生率和出生体重均无明显影响。在孕中期PM_2.5和CO暴露可明显增加低出生体重发生风险,PM_2.5、SO₂、CO可显著降低出生体重数值。在孕晚期,除SO₂外各污染物均可显著增加低出生体重的发生风险,其中O₃的影响最强;仅O₃可显著降低出生体重值。结论闵行区大气污染可降低新生儿的出生体重,增加低出生体重儿的发生风险,但是不同孕期的不同污染物暴露所产生的影响有所差异。     

Trial to evaluate effects of ambient particulate matter on health: A preliminary study using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis

Objectives Particulate air pollution is a serious problem all over the world, and the development of a method to evaluate the health effects of ambient particles is necessary. In this study, cells cultured in vitro were exposed to particles sampled at the side of a main road, and their protein expression levels were examined. Methods Ambient particles were collected at the side of a main road using a high-volume air sampler. Some of the collected particles (crude particles) were treated with an organic solvent to remove chemical components, and the resulting residues were used as residual particles. Cells from the mouse alveolar epithelial cell line LA-4 were inoculated into tissue-culture dishes at 1.4×10⁴/cm², exposed to each type of particle or artificial carbon particles (Printex 90) that were dispersed using an ultrasonic homogenizer by mixing in the medium twice at 24 and 48 hours, and incubated for up to 72 hours after the start of inoculation. After exposure, the number of cells and intracellular dehydrogenase activity were measured. Proteins extracted from the cells were subjected to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with isoelectric focusing at pHs 4–7 using a 10% acrylamide gel, and their expression levels were analyzed after fluorescent staining. Results The intracellular dehydrogenase activity of the cells significantly decreased as a result of exposure to the residual (0.70-fold) and crude (0.84-fold) particles compared with that of the control, but it showed no change as a result of exposure to Printex 90. The protein expression levels in the cells exposed to the particles increased or decreased similarly, but different expression levels were also observed. There were differences in the effects observed between the cells exposed to the artificial carbon particles and those exposed to particles collected from ambient air. Conclusion This study indicates that protein expression levels in cells change in response to exposure to particles collected from ambient air. To evaluate the effects of particles on health, it is considered necessary to use particles collected from ambient air.     

The effects of exposure to particulate matter and neighbourhood deprivation on gestational hypertension

Gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are conditions that affect the health of both mothers and infants during and after pregnancy. Recent research indicates the importance of considering environmental, social and individual contributors to poor pregnancy outcomes. Our research examined particulate matter (PM) concentrations as one measure of environmental exposure and neighbourhood quality as one measure of the social environment. We used these measures, as well as maternal characteristics, to predict the risk of gestational hypertension (including pre-eclampsia and eclampsia). North Carolina Detailed Birth Record data for 2000-2003 were obtained and geocoded for all singleton births. Levels of PM(10) and PM(2.5) were determined using air quality data from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Information on a woman's residential neighbourhood was determined from 2000 Census data. Modified Poisson regression models clustered by tract were used to examine the associations between PM levels, neighbourhood deprivation and maternal characteristics with gestational hypertension. Analysis was restricted to women residing within 20 km of a PM monitor. Both PM(10) and PM(2.5) were associated with gestational hypertension; the risk ratios for an interquartile range (IQR) increase in exposure were 1.07 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04, 1.11] for PM(10) (IQR: 3.92 μg/m(3)) and 1.11 [95% CI 1.08, 1.15] for PM(2.5) (IQR: 2.24 μg/m(3)). Living in a neighbourhood with increased levels of deprivation was also associated with gestational hypertension. Any smoking during pregnancy, younger age and higher level of education were inversely associated with risk of gestational hypertension. Compared with non-Hispanic White women, non-Hispanic Black women were at higher risk of gestational hypertension, whereas Hispanic women were at lower risk. Increased levels of PM and neighbourhood deprivation, as well as certain individual characteristics, were associated with higher risk of gestational hypertension.     

上海市城区大气颗粒物污染对居民健康危害的经济学评价

大气颗粒物污染正成为影响我国城市居民健康的重要危险因素为了定量评价上海市城区大气颗粒物污染对居民的健康效应及其经济损失，采用流行病研究为基础的暴露—反应关系估算了2001年归因于大气颗粒物污染的居民死亡及发病数；在此基础上，结合单位健康效应的经济价值，计算相应的经济损失。结果表明，2001年上海市城区大气颗粒物污染健康危害造成的经济损失为51．5亿元，占上海全市当年GDP的1．03％。研究提示，上海市城区目前的大气颗粒物污染水平造成的居民健康危害及其经济损失是相当可观的。     

Cooking and coughing: Estimating the effects of clean fuel for cooking on the respiratory health of children in the Philippines

Household air pollution (HAP) arising from the use of solid fuels for cooking is known to have adverse health effects including acute respiratory infections in children, which remains a major public health concern in developing countries. Hence, various interventions to reduce HAP have been advocated or piloted in many countries. To provide additional evidence on the effectiveness and applicability of the interventions in various settings, we investigate the effects of clean fuel for cooking on the risks of respiratory illness of children below five years old in the Philippines. We apply the propensity score matching method on a subsample of households culled from the 2013 round of the National Demographic and Health Survey to account for the systematic differences in their characteristics that could influence their choices of cooking fuel. We find that the use of electricity, liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas or biogas can lower by 2.4 percentage points the incidence of severe coughing with difficulty in breathing in young children. Our results support worldwide initiatives to promote the household use of clean fuels for cooking and heating to reduce HAP and its undesirable impacts on population health.     

Associations between recent exposure to ambient fine particulate matter and blood pressure in the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

BACKGROUND: Blood pressure (BP) may be implicated in associations observed between ambient particulate matter and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study examined cross-sectional associations between short-term ambient fine particles (particulate matter 相似文献   

Relationship of respiratory health status to grain dust in a Witwatersrand grain mill: Comparison of workers' exposure assessments with industrial hygiene survey findings

Objective measures of exposure furnished by dust monitoring are both costly and time consuming and require a sufficient level of technology. However, they are important in demonstrating exposure-response relationships, in furnishing information necessary to establish environmental control levels, and to assess if interventions, for instance, improving dust control, have been effective. In this paper respiratory symptoms and cross-shift changes in spirometric lung function were related to dust exposure level in a grain mill assessed in two ways, subjectively (by workers themselves on a four point scale) and objectively (by personal dust monitoring). Health indicators that depend on the individual's perception (e.g., symptoms) correlated more closely with the subjectively assessed dust category, while health indicators that were measured objectively (e.g., cross-week FVC and FEV₁ change) correlated more closely with the objectively assessed dust category. However, the patterns of relationship of respiratory health indicators to either dust category were similar, and exposure assessed by one method was, to a large extent, a proxy for the other. The most significant predictor of workers' choice of dust exposure category was the measured dust level. These findings indicate that exposure categories based on workers' assessment of dustiness can be a useful tool in etiologic research, in particular in establishing exposure-response relationships. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Associations between exposure to ambient photochemical oxidants and the vitality or mental health domain of the health related quality of life

BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution may affect the health related quality of life (HRQOL) of people, as assessed by the vitality (VT) and mental health (MH) domains of the SF-36 health survey (SF-36). METHODS: In a nationwide survey, 4500 people aged 20 years and older were selected from the entire population of Japan by stratified random sampling in October 2002. A total of 2896 subjects filled out the self administered questionnaire that included the SF-36 and demographic characteristics. Data were linked from the questionnaires with the data on air pollutants in the cities where the subjects resided. The paper examined the relations between the mean concentration of each air pollutant and the VT or MH score on the SF-36 using analysis of covariance. RESULTS: On crude analysis, the respondents who were exposed to a higher mean two month concentration of photochemical oxidants (Ox) showed a significant linear trend toward lower VT score (p = 0.028). This association remained even after adjustment for subjective demographic characteristics and meteorological variables (p = 0.033). There was a common tendency that subjects who were exposed to higher concentrations of Ox had a lower mean VT or MH score; however, there was a significant association only between Ox concentration and VT score. CONCLUSION: The score on the VT domain of the SF-36 was associated with the mean concentration of Ox during the previous two month period. Assessing the health effects of air pollution by measuring the HRQOL, such as by using the SF-36, may provide a new method of formulating air pollution policies.     

急性生理学和慢性健康状态评分与急性肺损伤评分在重症SARS患者中的应用

目的 评估急性生理学和慢性健康状态评分Ⅲ(APACHEⅢ)和急性肺损伤(ALl)评分对严重急性呼吸综合征(SARS)的病情严重程度和预后的价值。方法 对38例重症SARS患者应用APACHEⅢ和ALI评分,并对结果进行比较。结果 死亡组(14例)的APACHEⅢ平均分值为74.9±22.3明显高于存活组(24例)平均分值38.3±13.2(P<0.001),APACHEⅢ各分段值与病死率呈正相关,APACHEⅢ分值≥60分,病死率明显增高(X~2=3.886,P<0.05);老年组(18例)的病死率明显高于非老年组(20例)(X~2=8.660,P<0.05);但死亡组和存活组的ALI评分分值差异无显著性(P=0.127)。结论 APACHE Ⅲ较ALI评分更能准确地判断重症SARS患者病情严重程度和预后;老年人重症SARS的病死率明显升高。     

Survival analysis of long-term exposure to different sizes of airborne particulate matter and risk of infant mortality using a birth cohort in Seoul, Korea

Background

Several studies suggest that airborne particulate matter (PM) is associated with infant mortality; however, most focused on short-term exposure to larger particles.

Objectives

We evaluated associations between long-term exposure to different sizes of particles [total suspended particles (TSP), PM ≤ 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM₁₀), ≤ 10–2.5 μm (PM_10–2.5), and ≤ 2.5 μm (PM_2.5)] and infant mortality in a cohort in Seoul, Korea, 2004–2007.

Methods

The study includes 359,459 births with 225 deaths. We applied extended Cox proportional hazards modeling with time-dependent covariates to three mortality categories: all causes, respiratory, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). We calculated exposures from birth to death (or end of eligibility for outcome at 1 year of age) and pregnancy (gestation and each trimester) and treated exposures as time-dependent variables for subjects’ exposure for each pollutant. We adjusted by sex, gestational length, season of birth, maternal age and educational level, and heat index. Each cause of death and exposure time frame was analyzed separately.

Results

We found a relationship between gestational exposures to PM and infant mortality from all causes or respiratory causes for normal-birth-weight infants. For total mortality (all causes), risks were 1.44 (95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.97), 1.65 (1.18–2.31), 1.53 (1.22–1.90), and 1.19 (0.83–1.70) per interquartile range increase in TSP, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM_10–2.5, respectively; for respiratory mortality, risks were 3.78 (1.18–12.13), 6.20 (1.50–25.66), 3.15 (1.26–7.85), and 2.86 (0.76–10.85). For SIDS, risks were 0.92 (0.33–2.58), 1.15 (0.38–3.48), 1.42 (0.71–2.87), and 0.57 (0.16–1.96), respectively.

Conclusions

Our findings provide supportive evidence of an association of long-term exposure to PM air pollution with infant mortality.