Thorax. 2008 Aug
Andersen ZJ, Loft S, Ketzel M, Stage M, Scheike T, Hermansen MN, Bisgaard H.
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
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.
PMID: 18267985
