Elaine Fuertes1, Jordi Sunyer2, Ulrike Gehring3, Daniela Porta4, Francesco Forastiere4, Giulia Cesaroni4, Martine Vrijheid5, Mònica Guxens6, Isabella Annesi-Maesano7, Rémy Slama8, Dieter Maier9, Manolis Kogevinas2, Jean Bousquet10, Leda Chatzi11, Aitana Lertxundi12, Mikel Basterrechea13, Ana Esplugues14, Amparo Ferrero15, John Wright16, Dan Mason16, Rosie McEachan16, Judith Garcia-Aymerich5, Bénédicte Jacquemin17. 1. National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain. Electronic address: e.fuertes@imperial.ac.uk. 2. ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain. 3. Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands. 4. Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy. 5. ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain. 6. ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Centre-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands. 7. Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health, Epidemiology of Allergic and Respiratory Diseases Department (EPAR), Saint-Antoine Medical School, Paris, France. 8. Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38000 Grenoble, France. 9. Biomax Informatics AG, Munich, Germany. 10. Hopital Arnaud de Villeneuve University Hospital and Inserm, Montpellier, France. 11. Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. 12. CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain; Health Research Institute-BIODONOSTIA, Basque Country, Spain. 13. CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Health Research Institute-BIODONOSTIA, Basque Country, Spain; Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, San Sebastián, Spain. 14. CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain; Faculty of Nursing, University of Valencia, València, Spain. 15. CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain. 16. Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, United Kingdom. 17. ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; INSERM, U1168, VIMA: Aging and Chronic Diseases, Epidemiological and Public Health Approaches, Villejuif, France; Université Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, UMR-S 1168, F-78180 Montigny le Bretonneux, France; Université Rennes, INSERM, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Uncertainly continues to exist regarding the role of air pollution on pediatric asthma and allergic conditions, especially as air pollution levels have started to decrease in recent decades. OBJECTIVE: We examined associations of long-term air pollution levels at the home address with pediatric eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma prevalences in five birth cohorts (BIB, EDEN, GASPII, RHEA and INMA) from seven areas in five European countries. METHODS: Current eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma were assessed in children aged four (N = 6527) and eight years (N = 2489). A multi-morbidity outcome (≥2 conditions versus none) was also defined. Individual outdoor levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides, mass of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10), 10-2.5 μm (PMcoarse) and <2.5 μm (PM2.5), and PM2.5 absorbance were assigned to the birth, four- and eight-year home addresses using highly defined spatial air pollution exposure models. Cohort-specific cross-sectional associations were assessed using logistic regression models adjusted for demographic and environmental covariates and combined in a random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of pediatric eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma at four years was 15.4%, 5.9% and 12.4%. We found no increase in the prevalence of these outcomes at four or eight years with increasing air pollution exposure. For example, the meta-analysis adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma at four years were 0.94 (0.81, 1.09), 0.90 (0.75, 1.09), and 0.91 (0.74, 1.11), respectively, per 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2 at the birth address, and 1.00 (0.81, 1.23), 0.70 (0.49, 1.00) and 0.88 (0.54, 1.45), respectively, per 5 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 at the birth address. DISCUSSION: In this large meta-analysis of five birth cohorts, we found no indication of adverse effects of long-term air pollution exposure on the prevalence of current pediatric eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis or asthma.
BACKGROUND: Uncertainly continues to exist regarding the role of air pollution on pediatric asthma and allergic conditions, especially as air pollution levels have started to decrease in recent decades. OBJECTIVE: We examined associations of long-term air pollution levels at the home address with pediatric eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma prevalences in five birth cohorts (BIB, EDEN, GASPII, RHEA and INMA) from seven areas in five European countries. METHODS: Current eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma were assessed in children aged four (N = 6527) and eight years (N = 2489). A multi-morbidity outcome (≥2 conditions versus none) was also defined. Individual outdoor levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides, mass of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10), 10-2.5 μm (PMcoarse) and <2.5 μm (PM2.5), and PM2.5 absorbance were assigned to the birth, four- and eight-year home addresses using highly defined spatial air pollution exposure models. Cohort-specific cross-sectional associations were assessed using logistic regression models adjusted for demographic and environmental covariates and combined in a random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of pediatric eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma at four years was 15.4%, 5.9% and 12.4%. We found no increase in the prevalence of these outcomes at four or eight years with increasing air pollution exposure. For example, the meta-analysis adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma at four years were 0.94 (0.81, 1.09), 0.90 (0.75, 1.09), and 0.91 (0.74, 1.11), respectively, per 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2 at the birth address, and 1.00 (0.81, 1.23), 0.70 (0.49, 1.00) and 0.88 (0.54, 1.45), respectively, per 5 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 at the birth address. DISCUSSION: In this large meta-analysis of five birth cohorts, we found no indication of adverse effects of long-term air pollution exposure on the prevalence of current pediatric eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis or asthma.
Authors: Joshua P Keller; Joan H Dunlop; Nathan A Ryder; Roger D Peng; Corinne A Keet Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2022-05-26 Impact factor: 11.035