Effects of air pollution on changes in lung function induced by exercise in children with chronic respiratory symptoms

• Published in: Occupational and environmental medicine (London, England) Vol. 59; no. 2; pp. 129 - 134
• Main Authors: Timonen, K L, Pekkanen, J, Tiittanen, P, Salonen, R O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.02.2002; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: AEFV; Aerosols; Air; Air pollutants; Air pollution; Air Pollution - adverse effects; Air pollution effects; area under the expiratory flow-volume curve; Asthma; Asthma - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; black smoke; Bronchial Hyperreactivity - etiology; Child; Children; Children & youth; Chronic Disease; Cohort Studies; Cough; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental pollutants toxicology; exercise; Exercise - physiology; Female; FEV1; Forced Expiratory Volume - physiology; forced expiratory volume in 1 second; forced vital capacity; FVC; Heart rate; Humans; lung function; Lungs; Male; Medical sciences; mid-maximal expiratory flow; MMEF; Nitrogen dioxide; OECD; Organisation for Economic Cooperation; Original; Outdoor air quality; ozone; particle number concentrations; Particulate matter; particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter <10 μm; Particulate pollution; PEACE; PM10; PNC; Pollutants; pollution effects on asthmatic children in Europe; Questionnaires; Respiration Disorders - physiopathology; Respiratory function; Respiratory symptoms; Schools; Sulfur dioxide; Toxicology; Vital capacity; Vital Capacity - physiology; Workloads; Europe; Finland; Human; Physical exercise; Particle size; Respiratory disease; Forced vital capacity; Hypersensitivity; Daily variation; Particle; Suspended particle; Chronic; School age; Lung function; Winter; Air pollution; Primary school; Child
• ISSN: 1351-0711; 1470-7926
• DOI: 10.1136/oem.59.2.129

Objective: To investigate how daily variations in ambient air pollution, especially in particles, during the cold of winter affect repeated measurements of baseline lung function and exercise induced bronchial responsiveness among primary school children with chronic respiratory symptoms. Methods: During alternate school weeks (mamimum five) from February to April 1994, 33 children took part in exercise challenge tests (n=141 tests). The exercise challenges were conducted outdoors in a school yard in the centre of Kuopio, Finland. Spirometric lung functions were measured indoors before the exercise, and 3 and 10 minutes after. Daily mean concentrations of PM10, black smoke (BS), NO2, CO, SO2, and particle size and numbers were monitored at a nearby fixed monitoring site. Results: Daily variations in ambient air pollution were not associated with enhanced bronchial responsiveness. However, increased concentrations of BS, PM10, particle numbers, NO2, and CO were consistently associated with an impairment of baseline lung functions. The reductions in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) were 0.5% and 0.6%, respectively, for each 10 μg/m3 increase in BS (lag 2). Conclusion: Particles derived from combustion affect baseline lung function rather than bronchial responsiveness among children with chronic respiratory symptoms.