Exposure to air pollution and allergic diseases in adults

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> epidemiological evidence reports adverse health effects even for exposure levels below air quality standards. <b>Aim:</b> to assess the effects of air pollutants exposure on allergic diseases in an adult general population sample. <b>Methods:</b> 1615 subjects living in an urban/suburban area (Pisa/Cascina, Tuscany) were investigated in 2009-2011. Questionnaire information about risk factors and allergic rhinitis (current diagnosis and current symptoms/rhinitis drugs consumption) and asthma (lifetime diagnosis and current asthma attacks/asthma drugs consumption) was collected. Mean annual PM₁₀, PM_2.5, NO₂ and mean summer O₃ concentrations (µg/m³) were estimated at the residential addresses (1-km resolution) for the period 2013-15 within the BIGEPI project (INAIL contract ID 46/2019). The association between allergic diseases and air pollution exposure was assessed by using principal component regression, adjusting for age, sex, education, occupational exposure, smoking habits, and air temperature. <b>Results:</b> mean air pollutants concentrations (µg/m³) were: 24.92 (SD=1.00) for PM₁₀, 16.47 (0.68) for PM_2.5, 23.35 (3.81) for NO₂ and 69.99 (2.51) for O₃. Allergic rhinitis prevalence was associated with exposure to PM₁₀ (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.16-1.60 per unit increase (p.u.i.)), PM_2.5 (OR 1.22, 1.11-1.34 p.u.i) and NO₂ (OR 1.02, 0.99-1.04 p.u.i, borderline association). Asthma prevalence was associated with exposure to O₃ (OR 1.10, 1.02-1.17 p.u.i.). <b>Conclusions:</b> use of advanced exposure and statistical methods showed detrimental effects on allergic diseases in areas characterized by air pollution concentration below the EU standards.&nbsp;It confirms the need to further reduce population exposure for achieving a global health benefit.