The relationship between air pollution from heavy traffic and allergic sensitization, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and respiratory symptoms in Dutch schoolchildren.

Abstract

Studies have suggested that children living close to busy roads may have impaired respiratory health. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that exposure to exhaust from heavy traffic in particular is related to childhood respiratory health. Children attending 24 schools located within 400 m from busy motorways were investigated. The motorways carried between 5,190 and 22,326 trucks per weekday and between 30,399 and 155,656 cars per day. Locations were chosen so that the correlation between truck and car traffic counts was low. Air pollution measurements were performed at the schools for 1 year. Respiratory symptoms were collected by parent-completed questionnaire. Sensitization to common allergens was measured by serum immunoglobulin E and skin prick tests. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) was measured with a hypertonic saline challenge. Respiratory symptoms were increased near motorways with high truck but not high car traffic counts. They were also related to air pollutants that increased near motorways with high truck traffic counts. Lung function and BHR were not related to pollution. Sensitization to pollen increased in relation to truck but not car traffic counts. The relation between symptoms and measures of exposure to (truck) traffic-related air pollution were almost entirely restricted to children with BHR and/or sensitization to common allergens, indicating that these are a sensitive subgroup among all children for these effects.

The toxicology of climate change: Environmental contaminants in a warming world

“…However, a number of studies suggest that the toxicity of ozone and PM will be exacerbated with global warming, and some of these data support that older adults will be especially vulnerable (Bell et al, 2007;Confalonieri et al, 2007;Dominici et al, 2006;Fiala et al, 2003;IPCC, 2007c;Katsouyanni et al, 1993;Knowlton et al, 2004;Koken et al, 2003;Mauzerall et al, 2005;Ordonez et al, 2005;Rainham and Smoyer-Tomic, 2003;Ren and Tong, 2006). Other potential interactions between climate change and toxicant exposure include increased susceptibility to pathogens (Abadin et al, 2007;Nagayama et al, 2007;Smialowicz et al, 2001) and aeroallergens (D'Amato et al, 2002;Diaz-Sanchez et al, 2003;Epstein, 2005;Janssen et al, 2003). Table 1 summarizes important interactions between climate change, toxicant exposures, and human health.…”

“…The effects of contaminants on vulnerable subpopulations warrant further study, although there is evidence that older individuals will be more susceptible to climate-air pollutant interactions (Fiala et al, 2003;Koken et al, 2003;Ordonez et al, 2005). In addition, low-income populations, infants, children, and chronically ill individuals may be especially susceptible to climate sensitive outcomes linked to interactions between pollutant exposures and changes in vector-borne and allergic disease (D'Amato et al, 2002;Diaz-Sanchez et al, 2003;Epstein, 2005;Haines et al, 2006;Janssen et al, 2003).…”

“…For example, studies show that increasing concentrations of CO 2 enhance the production of Amb a 1 allergen and pollen from ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) (Rogers et al, 2006;Singer et al, 2005). In addition, diesel exhaust, which contains numerous pollutants, including PM, NOx, VOCs, CO, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), has been shown to enhance allergenicity and asthma symptoms in adults and children by acting synergistically with allergens (D' Amato et al, 2002;Diaz-Sanchez et al, 2003;Janssen et al, 2003). For example, Janssen et al (2003) found that Dutch children aged 7-12 from 24 schools within 400 m of a major roadway had increased sensitization to outdoor allergens.…”

“…In addition, diesel exhaust, which contains numerous pollutants, including PM, NOx, VOCs, CO, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), has been shown to enhance allergenicity and asthma symptoms in adults and children by acting synergistically with allergens (D' Amato et al, 2002;Diaz-Sanchez et al, 2003;Janssen et al, 2003). For example, Janssen et al (2003) found that Dutch children aged 7-12 from 24 schools within 400 m of a major roadway had increased sensitization to outdoor allergens. This relationship between adverse symptoms and traffic-related air pollution was largely restricted to children with pre-existing bronchial hyperresponsiveness (common among asthmatics) and allergen sensitivity.…”

A participant-based approach to indoor/outdoor air monitoring in community health studies

“…However, these methods can be resource intensive and may impose a significant burden on study participants. As a result, epidemiology studies generally rely on simple surrogates of personal exposures such as central-site monitoring data, proximity to roadways, or traffic volume near the home as indicators of exposure (Janssen et al, 2003;Nicolai et al, 2003;Lewis et al, 2005;Ryan et al, 2005;Venn et al, 2005).…”