Pulmonary Function In Schoolchildren Research Articles

Association of Outdoor and Indoor Nitrogen Dioxide with Pulmonary Function in Schoolchildren

Association of Outdoor and Indoor Nitrogen Dioxide with Pulmonary Function in Schoolchildren

Impaired Pulmonary Function in Schoolchildren Exposed to Passive Smoking

Pulmonary function was evaluated by FEV1, FVC, PEF, MEF50%FVC, MEF25%FVC and MMEF in relation with passive smoking exposure in 143 children aged 6-11 years (mean age = 8.5 +/- 1.6). Passive smoking exposure was evaluated by a questionnaire and by measurement of urinary cotinine levels. Children were divided into different groups: no exposure, low exposure and high exposure. The mean values of each pulmonary function test were compared between the groups and between the different evaluations by Student's test. The evaluation of passive smoking exposure by questionnaire and by urinary cotinine levels separated homogeneous groups of children. The urinary cotinine levels were significantly lower in the non-exposed children than in the other groups (p less than 0.001). Pulmonary function tests, especially MEF50%FVC, MEF25%FVC and MMEF were significantly reduced in exposed subjects (p less than 0.05). These alterations are an index of early involvement of the small airways also in passive smokers. The greater the exposure to passive smoking, the lower the values of the pulmonary function tests.

Effect of the Pittsburgh Air Pollution Episode upon Pulmonary Function in School Children

Due to increasing atmospheric concentrations of participates, five of Allegheny County’s seven monitoring areas were placed on first stage air pollution alert by November 18,1975. The Liberty Borough area reached second stage alert, and then emergency stage the morning of November 19. An investigation was mounted to determine whether these emergency levels of par-ticulates had an effect upon the pulmonary function of school children sufficiently severe that it would require several days for pulmonary function to return to normal. Beginning November 20 in two schools and November 21 in four additional schools, the three-quarter second forced expiratory volume (FEV.75) and the forced vital capacity (FVC) of approximately 270 parochial school children in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades were tested daily through November 26. Two schools, approximately 80 children, were in control areas; the remaining children were exposed to high or very high levels of particulate air pollution with significant levels of sulfur oxides. If a severe effect of pollution on pulmonary function occurred, one would expect daily measurements to tend upward in children in the four schools in polluted areas and to remain more or less steady in the two control areas. Analyses of the data yielded no indications of such an effect of air pollution upon the lung function of the school children studied. Pulmonary function values declined very slightly in all six schools over the study period. Unexplained variability over a weekend was observed.