Abstract
Introduction: This is the first study in Greece where specific methodology is used controlling for all known confounders on the morphology of the children’s spirometric curve in industrial vs. rural area. Materials and Methods: A parental questionnaire and a spirometry test in 62 children in Oinofyta (Industrial area) and 42 in Makrakomi (Rural Area) (5th and 6th Grades, 11-12 years). Results: Higher rates in the industrial area for children’s history of asthma and asthma related symptoms were observed. Subnormal spirometric curve rates in Oinofyta was 25.8% vs. 12.2% in Makarakomi (P=0.074). Similarly, the number of children who had FVC (Forced Vital Capacity) <90% was higher in Oinofyta than in Makrakomi (P=0.037). After adjusting for confounding factors, statistically significant differences in asthma diagnosis and related symptoms, in subnormal spirometric curves and spirometric indices existed between children in the two study groups. Conclusion: Industrial residential area is significantly associated with children’s history of asthma and reduced pulmonary function.
Highlights
This is the first study in Greece where specific methodology is used controlling for all known confounders on the morphology of the children’s spirometric curve in industrial vs. rural area
After adjusting for confounding factors, statistically significant differences were observed in asthma diagnosis and related symptoms, in subnormal spirometric curves and spirometric indices between children in the two study groups
Air pollution consists of Particulate Matter (PM) which may be characterized as PM10: coarse, PM2,5: fine and ultrafine PM according to its aerodynamic diameter (Sioutas et al 2005) and of other air pollutants which are ozon (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2)
Summary
This is the first study in Greece where specific methodology is used controlling for all known confounders on the morphology of the children’s spirometric curve in industrial vs. rural area. Bronchial asthma is a very common chronic disease in childhood and its prevalence has been increasing during the past decades, as shown by a considerable number of studies, where asthma and allergies in childhood are more pronounced in most developed countries (Asher et al, 2006; Maziak et al, 2003; Pearce et al, 2000). The environmental factors which greatly contribute to the development of the disease www.ccsenet.org/enrr is air pollution - industrial and traffic related - as well as indoor environmental factors (pet allergens, mould, dust mite, passive smoking) (Lau et al, 2000; Kattan et al, 1997; Nelson et al, 1999; Eggleston, 2000). The prevalence of asthma and asthma related symptoms are statistically significant associated with SO2, NO2 and PM10 concentrations (Zhang et al, 2002; Clark et al, 2010), as well as O3 and CO concentrations (Hwang & Lee, 2010)
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