Associations of Cough Prevalence with Ambient Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Nitrogen and Sulphur Dioxide: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Information on potential cough triggers including environmental irritants is vital for successful management of chronic cough in patients. We investigated the relationship between ambient levels of particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) exposures with cough prevalence. Eighty-three adult patients, who had been physician diagnosed with at least asthma, cough variant asthma and/or atopic cough, were divided into asthma and non-asthma groups. They recorded daily cough symptoms during 4 January–30 June 2011 study period while daily samples of total suspended particles were simultaneously collected by use of glass fiber filters and the particulate PAH content determined by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a fluorescence detector. Ambient concentrations of NO2 and SO2 were obtained from a local monitoring site. Logistic regression models using generalized estimating equations were used to determine population-averaged estimates of association between cough prevalence and ambient pollutant exposures for the two groups. Fully adjusted odds ratios from single pollutant models were 1.083 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.029, 1.140) and 1.097 (95% CI: 1.016, 1.185) per 0.57 ng/m3 for lag2 PAH exposure, while only for asthma group had significant associations with NO2 and SO2 exposures for both lag2 and lag02. Similar associations were observed in multipollutant models. This finding suggests that ambient PAH, NO2, and SO2 exposure even at low levels is related to cough prevalence in adult chronic cough patients and may be considered as aggravating factor during clinical management of the condition.

Different Transport Behaviors between Asian Dust and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Urban Areas: Monitoring in Fukuoka and Kanazawa, Japan

“…It has been considered that these organic and inorganic pollutants were simultaneously long-range transported to Japan by westerly winds. They are thought to be common causes of hospital admission for respiratory, cerebrovascular, and cardiovascular diseases [10], cough prevalence [11][12][13], itchy eyes [14], asthma exacerbation [15], and seasonal allergic rhinitis [7,16].…”

Association between Cough and Ambient Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Patients with Chronic Cough: An Observational Study in Two Regions of Japan

“…The Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between daily concentrations of air pollutants, including PAH and TSP. The generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to examine the relationship between cough occurrence and PAH exposure [6]. GEE models for same-day (lag 0 defined as 24 h period before the health response) through 5 day lag were constructed with adjustments for potential confounders; monitoring sites, gender, age, body mass ranking, and the presence or absence of asthma.…”

“…Among these routes, inhalation has been considered more important for the respiratory effects of PAHs [3]. PAHs are now shown to be involved in the development and exacerbation of respiratory diseases, such as childhood and adult BA, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and others accompanied by cough symptoms, in addition to affecting respiratory function [3,4,6,7]. However, a few epidemiological studies have demonstrated the possible association between airborne PAH exposure and respiratory symptoms, such as cough prevalence in people with chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma [6,7].…”

Managing patients with chronic cough: challenges and solutions

“…A very recent Japanese study found that exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide was associated with an increase in cough prevalence among adults with chronic cough. 29 In a cross sectional survey of 200 Russian adults, exposure to heavy mining and refining industrial air pollution was also associated with chronic cough, after adjustment for smoking status, age and sex (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.07–4.35). 30 Living close (<100 m) to a major road in Beijing, China led to a higher risk of chronic cough compared to living >200 m (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.57–4.10).…”