Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Asthma in Bronx Children
Author Information
Author(s): Ariel Spira-Cohen, Lung Chi Chen, Michaela Kendall, Ramona Lall, George D. Thurston
Primary Institution: New York University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Associations of adverse respiratory health effects with the diesel fraction (as indicated by a metric of EC) will be stronger and more consistent than with PM2.5 total mass.
Conclusion
Adverse health associations were strongest with personal measures of EC exposure, suggesting that the diesel 'soot' fraction of PM2.5 is most responsible for pollution-related asthma exacerbations among children living near roadways.
Supporting Evidence
- Increased risk of cough, wheeze, and total symptoms with increased personal EC exposure.
- No significant associations with school-site PM2.5 mass or sulfur.
- Children living closer to highways had progressively higher mean personal EC exposures.
Takeaway
Kids with asthma living near busy roads are more likely to have breathing problems when exposed to diesel pollution.
Methodology
Daily 24-hr personal samples of PM2.5 were collected from 40 fifth-grade children with asthma, and spirometry and symptom scores were recorded several times daily.
Potential Biases
Potential reporting bias in symptom scores, as subjects were unaware of their personal pollution measurements.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size of 40 participants and lacked adequate data on daily medication use.
Participant Demographics
All children were African American or Hispanic of Caribbean descent, aged 10-12 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 1.03–2.04
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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