Ulrike Gehring1, Alet H Wijga2, Gerard H Koppelman3,4, Judith M Vonk4,5, Henriette A Smit6, Bert Brunekreef7,6. 1. Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands u.gehring@uu.nl. 2. Center for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. 3. Dept of Pediatric Pulmonology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. 4. Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. 5. Dept of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. 6. Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 7. Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Air pollution is associated with asthma development in children and adults, but the impact on asthma development during the transition from adolescence to adulthood is unclear. Adult studies lack historical exposures and consequently cannot assess the relevance of exposure during different periods of life. We assessed the relevance of early-life and more recent air pollution exposure for asthma development from birth until early adulthood. METHODS: We used data of 3687 participants of the prospective Dutch PIAMA (Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy) birth cohort and linked asthma incidence until age 20 years to estimated concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter with a diameter <2.5 μm (PM2.5), <10 μm (PM10), and 2.5-10 μm, and PM2.5 absorbance ("soot") at the residential address. We assessed overall and age-specific associations with air pollution exposure with discrete time-hazard models, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Overall, we found higher incidence of asthma until the age of 20 years with higher exposure to all pollutants at the birth address (adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) ranging from 1.09 (1.01-1.18) for PM10 to 1.20 (1.10-1.32) for NO2) per interquartile range increase) that were rather persistent with age. Similar associations were observed with more recent exposure defined as exposure at the current home address. In two-pollutant models with particulate matter, associations with NO2 persisted. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to air pollution, especially from motorised traffic, early in life may have long-term consequences for asthma development, as it is associated with an increased risk of developing asthma through childhood and adolescence into early adulthood.
BACKGROUND: Air pollution is associated with asthma development in children and adults, but the impact on asthma development during the transition from adolescence to adulthood is unclear. Adult studies lack historical exposures and consequently cannot assess the relevance of exposure during different periods of life. We assessed the relevance of early-life and more recent air pollution exposure for asthma development from birth until early adulthood. METHODS: We used data of 3687 participants of the prospective Dutch PIAMA (Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy) birth cohort and linked asthma incidence until age 20 years to estimated concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter with a diameter <2.5 μm (PM2.5), <10 μm (PM10), and 2.5-10 μm, and PM2.5 absorbance ("soot") at the residential address. We assessed overall and age-specific associations with air pollution exposure with discrete time-hazard models, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Overall, we found higher incidence of asthma until the age of 20 years with higher exposure to all pollutants at the birth address (adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) ranging from 1.09 (1.01-1.18) for PM10 to 1.20 (1.10-1.32) for NO2) per interquartile range increase) that were rather persistent with age. Similar associations were observed with more recent exposure defined as exposure at the current home address. In two-pollutant models with particulate matter, associations with NO2 persisted. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to air pollution, especially from motorised traffic, early in life may have long-term consequences for asthma development, as it is associated with an increased risk of developing asthma through childhood and adolescence into early adulthood.
Authors: Sigurveig T Sigurdardottir; Kristjan Jonasson; Michael Clausen; Kristin Lilja Bjornsdottir; Sigridur Erla Sigurdardottir; Graham Roberts; Kate Grimshaw; Nikolaos G Papadopoulos; Paraskevi Xepapadaki; Ana Fiandor; Santiago Quirce; Aline B Sprikkelman; Lies Hulshof; Marek L Kowalski; Marcin Kurowski; Ruta Dubakiene; Odilija Rudzeviciene; Johanna Bellach; Songül Yürek; Andreas Reich; Sina Maria Erhard; Philip Couch; Montserrat Fernandez Rivas; Ronald van Ree; Clare Mills; Linus Grabenhenrich; Kirsten Beyer; Thomas Keil Journal: Allergy Date: 2021-06-08 Impact factor: 14.710