Particulate matter and lung function growth in children: a 3-yr follow-up study in Austrian schoolchildren

Abstract

The effects of particulate matter v10 mm in diameter (PM10) and other air pollutants on lung function were assessed in 975 schoolchildren, from eight communities in Lower Austria between 1994-1997. In each community, air pollution data were collected. Spirometry was performed twice a year. PM10 concentration (mean concentration between two subsequent lung-function measures in spring and autumn (summer interval) or between autumn and spring (winter interval)) showed a mean value of 17.36 mg?m-3 in the summer interval and 21.03 mg?m-3 in the winter interval. A slower increase in the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and midexpiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the forced vital capacity (MEF25-75) with age in children exposed to higher summer PM10 was observed in the 3-yr study period. After adjusting for potential confounders (sex, atopy, passive smoking, initial height, height difference, site, initial lung function) an increase of summer PM10 by 10 mg?m-3 was associated with a decrease in FEV1 growth of 84 mL?yr-1 and 329 mL?s-1 ?yr-1 for MEF25-75. Nitrogen dioxide and ozone also showed a negative effect on lung-function growth, confirming previous work. The authors concluded that long-term exposure to particulate matter v10 mm in diameter had a significant negative effect on lung-function proxy for the development of large (forced expiratory volume in one second) and small (midexpiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the forced vital capacity) airways, respectively, with strong evidence for a further effect of ozone and nitrogen dioxide on the development of forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second. In recent years numerous studies have observed associations between ambient particulate matter and respiratory health. Effects of particulate air pollution on respiratory symptoms [1-8], hospitalization for respiratory and cardiovascular disease [9, 10], asthma attacks [11-13] asthma-medication use [1, 14], lung function [1-3, 7, 15-17] and mortality [18, 19] have been shown. Several studies observed short-term associations between particulate matter and lung function. HOEK et al. [2] found in a study on Dutch children that an increase of particulate matterv10 mm in diameter (PM10) by 100 mg?m-3 , on the same day, was associated with a decrease in different lung-function parameters (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)) by y2.5%. Investigations of symptomatic and asympto-matic children in the USA [20] showed a decrease in the peak expiratory flow by 1.8% and 1.3% respectively , associated with a 150 mg?m-3 increase in the concurrent days9 PM10. A summer-camp study in the Austrian Alps [21] suggested a cumulative negative short-term effect of acid aerosols and PM10 on FEV1. So far, a susceptible subpopulation has not been identified. A study in the European Union found no consistent association between PM10 and lung function in a sample of children with chronic respiratory symptoms [22]. The six-cities study [23] that observed cross-sectionally th...

Lag effect of particulate air pollution on lung function in children

“…Horak et al also followed lung function among schoolchildren for 3 years and reported that long-term exposure to PM 10 had a significant negative effect on lung function, suggesting that an increase in PM 10 levels was linked to a decrease in FEV 1 and mid-expiratory flow between 25% and 75% (MEF 25-75 ). 22 Our study supports the earlier findings. In addition, because exposure data measured hourly were available in this study, we could evaluate lag model over times matched to each subject's lung function indices, an improvement over previous approaches using fixed calendar days.…”

Air pollution during pregnancy and lung function in newborns: a birth cohort study

“…Comparison with other studies Studies in cooperative school children showed a reduction of lung growth upon exposure to particulate matter [1,3]. The present authors found no association between PM10 and lung volume in unsedated sleep, possibly because FRC in infants is dynamically regulated to maintain end-expiratory lung volume above airway closure [19].…”

“…Both cross-sectional as well as longitudinal studies have clearly shown diminished lung function in children exposed to higher levels of air pollution [1][2][3][4]. A causative association has been suggested in the observation of decreased age-related lung function decline in adults after reduced exposure to air pollution [5].…”

A systematic review of early life factors which adversely affect subsequent lung function

“…The seminal paper on lung growth and pollution showed adverse effects on lung development in children 10 to 18 years old leading to clinically significant deficits in attained FEV 1 as they reached adulthood. [70] In addition, 2 large paediatric [71,72] and one adult study [73] have identified small deficits in lung function associated with exposure to particulate matter.…”