Occupational Exposure to Urban Air Pollution and Allergic Diseases.

Luigi Vimercati,Marco Palma,Elisabetta Di Leo,Nicola Favia,Gabriella Martina,Eustachio Nettis,Maria Gatti,Antonio Baldassarre,Marina Musti

doi:10.3390/ijerph121012977

Abstract

Exposure to air pollution is associated with increased morbidity from cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, respiratory and allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate allergic diseases in 111 traffic wardens compared to a control group of 101 administrative employees. All participating subjects underwent a physical examination, in which a complete medical history was taken and a dedicated allergological questionnaire administered. Spirometry, Specific IgE dosage (RAST) and skin prick tests (SPT) were done. Diagnostic investigations such as the nasal cytology, a specific nasal provocation test and rhinomanometry were also performed. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 11. The percentage of subjects with a diagnosis of allergy was higher in the exposed workers than in the controls. As regards the clinical tests, the positivity was higher for the group of exposed subjects. Among the exposed workers, those who worked on foot or motorcycle had a higher positivity in clinical trials compared to the traffic wardens who used the car. Our study showed a higher percentage of allergic subjects in the group of workers exposed to outdoor pollutants than in the controls. These results suggest that allergological tests should be included in the health surveillance protocols for workers exposed to outdoor pollutants.

Highlights

Air pollution is one of the main risk factors for public health in urban areas
Studies conducted to identify a causal relationship between urban pollution and an exacerbation of asthmatic bronchial reactivity in asthma patients have yielded contrasting results: some Authors reported an increased disease burden [7,8,9], with exacerbation of the asthma attacks on days when the levels of ozone and other pollutants were higher [10] while others found no increased prevalence rate of asthma [11,12]
Our study showed a higher percentage of allergic subjects in the group of workers exposed to outdoor pollutants than in the controls

Summary

Introduction

Air pollution is one of the main risk factors for public health in urban areas. Traffic-related pollution is one of the principal sources of particulate matter (PM), nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide [1,2], but among biological pollutants that play a particular role in the genesis of allergic disorders we must include allergizing substances such as pollens and molds.Some studies have investigated the role of climatic factors (e.g., barometric pressure, temperature and humidity) in triggering and/or exacerbating respiratory allergic symptoms in predisposed subjects, but the results are still poorly understood [3].The association between air pollution and health effects seems to have been amply demonstrated [4], in terms of mortality and increased hospitalization for non allergic cardio-circulatory and respiratory diseases, whereas the effects in allergic diseases still seem to be conflicting [5], because of different results obtained until now by authors, due to the small number of studies available in literature.The greatest evidence regards the adverse effects on the health of allergic subjects, presenting in the form of asthma attacks, increased hospitalizations and drug use related to brief periods of exposure to particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) [6].Studies conducted to identify a causal relationship between urban pollution and an exacerbation of asthmatic bronchial reactivity in asthma patients have yielded contrasting results: some Authors reported an increased disease burden [7,8,9], with exacerbation of the asthma attacks on days when the levels of ozone and other pollutants were higher [10] while others found no increased prevalence rate of asthma [11,12]. The association between air pollution and health effects seems to have been amply demonstrated [4], in terms of mortality and increased hospitalization for non allergic cardio-circulatory and respiratory diseases, whereas the effects in allergic diseases still seem to be conflicting [5], because of different results obtained until now by authors, due to the small number of studies available in literature. The greatest evidence regards the adverse effects on the health of allergic subjects, presenting in the form of asthma attacks, increased hospitalizations and drug use related to brief periods of exposure to particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) [6].

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Conclusion