The role of TRAP exposure in the development and persistence of asthma and low lung function

Abstract

Background: Current evidence mainly implicates Traffic Related Air Pollution (TRAP) exposure with the exacerbation of chronic airway diseases, but less is established about its role in the development and persistence of asthma and low lung function, which we have investigated in this study. Method Associations between TRAP exposure and asthma (n=794), and lung function (n=773), were investigated using the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study. TRAP exposure at age 45 years was assessed using two methods based on residential address: 1. Mean annual NO2 and; 2. Distance to nearest major road. Multinomial logistic regression was used to model the association between exposure to TRAP at age 45 years and change in both asthma status and lung function from age 45 to 50 years while adjusting for confounders. Results: At age 45 years, both increasing NO2 exposure and living Conclusion: TRAP exposure in adults is associated with new asthma, persistence of asthma and persistently low lung function. The influence of TRAP on persistently lower levels of lung function is especially pronounced for those with pre-existing asthma.