Relationship between pulmonary function and indoor air pollution from coal combustion among adult residents in an inner-city area of southwest China

Abstract

Few studies evaluate the amount of particulate matter less than 2.5 mm in diameter (PM2.5) in relation to a change in lung function among adults in a population. The aim of this study was to assess the association of coal as a domestic energy source to pulmonary function in an adult population in inner-city areas of Zunyi city in China where coal use is common. In a cross-sectional study of 104 households, pulmonary function measurements were assessed and compared in 110 coal users and 121 non-coal users (≥18 years old) who were all nonsmokers. Several sociodemographic factors were assessed by questionnaire, and ventilatory function measurements including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), the FEV1/FVC ratio, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were compared between the 2 groups. The amount of PM2.5 was also measured in all residences. There was a significant increase in the relative concentration of PM2.5 in the indoor kitchens and living rooms of the coal-exposed group compared to the non-coal-exposed group. In multivariate analysis, current exposure to coal smoke was associated with a 31.7% decrease in FVC, a 42.0% decrease in FEV1, a 7.46% decrease in the FEV1/FVC ratio, and a 23.1% decrease in PEFR in adult residents. The slope of lung function decrease for Chinese adults is approximately a 2-L decrease in FVC, a 3-L decrease in FEV1, and an 8 L/s decrease in PEFR per count per minute of PM2.5 exposure. These results demonstrate the harmful effects of indoor air pollution from coal smoke on the lung function of adult residents and emphasize the need for public health efforts to decrease exposure to coal smoke.

Adverse effects of coal combustion related fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) on nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

“…Combustion of coal was associated with increased mortality, pulmonary inflammation, or lung cancer (Laden et al, 2000;Liberda and Chen, 2013;Hu et al, 2014). Indoor coal combustion related PM 2.5 might have contributed to the adverse effects on lung function found in adult residents in Southwest China (Jie et al, 2014). Moreover, coal combustion related PM 2.5 has led to the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in neonatal and adult rat lungs (Chan et al, 2013).…”

Effect of Personal Exposure to PM2.5 on Respiratory Health in a Mexican Panel of Patients with COPD

“…Air pollutants have also been associated with a decrease in lung function, measured by Peak expiratory flow (PEF) in children with asthma and in healthy children [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ] and in healthy or susceptible adults [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”

Prevalence of Asthma and Asthma-Related Symptoms Among Adults Exposed to Indoor Environmental Risk Factors: a Comparison between Winter and Summer in Zunyi, China

“…Exclusion criteria: asthmatics with concomitant diagnoses of chronic bronchitis or emphysema were ineligible. The available health records of subjects were taken to confi rm his/her chronic bronchitis or emphysema disease [9].…”

“…Seasonal changes of temperature promote alterations in respiratory morbidity and in total and cause-specifi c mortality. Our previous study found that seasonal changes in Zunyi were associated with residents' respiratory [5,9] and cardiovascular morbidity [18], including asthma and asthma-related symptoms. Moreover, our exploratory study has revealed a linear relationship between respiratory outcomes and daily mean air temperature.…”