Relationship between Household Air Pollution from Biomass Smoke Exposure, and Pulmonary Dysfunction, Oxidant-Antioxidant Imbalance and Systemic Inflammation in Rural Women and Children in Nigeria

Abstract

Background:Exposure to particulate matter from burning biomass fuels is believed to affect oxidant-antioxidant balance and to induce oxidative stress.Methods:Fifty-nine mother-child pairs from 59 households that used firewood exclusively for cooking in three rural communities in southwest Nigeria underwent blood test for albumin, pre-albumin, retinol-binding protein (RBP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), vitamins C, vitamin E, malondialdehyde (MDA) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Spirometry was performed and indoor levels of PM2.5 were determined.Results:Mean age (± SD; years) of mothers and children was 43.0±11.7 and 13.6±3.2, respectively. The median indoor PM2.5 level was 1575.1 µg/m3 (IQR 943.6–2847.0, p<0.001), which is substantially higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of 25 µg/m3. The mean levels of pre-albumin (0.21±0.14 g/dL) and RBP (0.03±0.03 g/dL) in women were significantly lower than their respective normal ranges (1-3 g/dL and 0.2-0.6 g/dL, respectively, p<0.05). Similarly, the mean levels of pre-albumin (0.19±0.13 g/dL) and RBP (0.01±0.01 g/dL) in children were significantly lower than the respective normal ranges (1-3 g/dL and 0.2-0.6 g/dL, respectively, p<0.05). Mean serum concentrations of MDA in children (5.44±1.88 µmol/L) was positively correlated to serum concentrations of CRP (r=0.3, p=0.04) and negatively correlated to lung function (FEV1/FVC) in both mothers and children (both r=-0.3, p<0.05). Also, regression analysis indicates that CRP and SOD are associated with lung function impairment in mothers (-2.55±1.08, p<0.05) and children (-5.96±3.05, p=0.05) respectively.Conclusion:Exposure to HAP from biomass fuel is associated with pulmonary dysfunction, reduced antioxidant defense and inflammation of the airways. Further studies are needed to better define causal relationships and the mechanisms involved.

Effect of chronic exposure to biomass fuel smoke on pulmonary function test parameters

“…However the median indoor PM 2.5 level was taken. 31 In our study the percentage predicted values [FVC-72.1±11.96; FEV1 61.03±21.1; FEF25-75% 65.5±19.96; PEFR 63.7±20.13 as shown in Table 8] and FEV1/FVC ratio (65.34±14.5- Table 9) were significantly reduced in biomass smoke exposed rural women. The female subjects taken in our study were of age group 30-45 years.…”

Respiratory risks from household air pollution in low and middle income countries

“…Exposure to HAP is associated with a depletion of antioxidants and an altered balance between oxidant and antioxidant compounds,92 and a similar association has been reported in children exposed to second-hand smoke 93,94. Although there is no direct evidence that nutritional factors modify the effects of HAP on risk of respiratory tract infection, several studies raise the possibility that good nutrition could mitigate the harmful proinflammatory effects of HAP 95.…”

Pulmonary function and respiratory health of rural farmers and artisanal and small scale gold miners in Ghana

“…A study with Malawian adults found that adults using wood as their primary cooking fuel had significantly worse lung function than adults using charcoal, and that wood use was a significant predictor of FEV 1 (Fullerton et al, 2011). Wood BMF was associated with pulmonary dysfunction measured in Nigerian adults (Oluwole et al, 2013). A Nepalese study of adults found that participants using biomass fuel were twice as likely to have an FEV 1 /FVC ratio below the LLN (8.1%) than those using LPG (3.6%) (Kurmi et al, 2013).…”