Expiratory flows decreased in Los Angeles children from 1984 to 1987: is this evidence of effects of air pollution?
To estimate the effects of air pollution we measured expiratory flows and vital capacities in 556 Mexican-American Los Angeles children in 1984 and 251 in 1987. They included 106 who were measured in 1984 and 1987 and 145 measured only in 1987. Pulmonary function values were standardized for growth be expressing them as percentages of predicted (% pred) based on sex and height. In 1987 mean values for FEV1 and FEF25-75 were lower by 4.5% pred and 13.6% pred respectively (P < 0.001), while vital capacities were not different in 213 children tested as fifth graders in 1984 and 251 fifth grade children in 1987. For the 106 children tested at both sessions (in second grade in 1984 and in fifth grade in 1987) FVC was also not different but FEV1 was 2.0% pred lower (P < 0.06) and FEF25-75 was 7.0% pred lower (P < 0.001). For the 450 children tested only in 1984 and the 106 retested in 1987 there were no significant differences in mean values for FVC, FEV1, and FEF 25-75. Similarly there were no significant differences between the 1987 mean values for 145 children who were studied longitudinally were not different from the 1984 and 1987 cross-sectional cohorts. Across this interval FEV1 and midflows diminished but vital capacities did not. Airways obstruction worsened during children's residence in Los Angeles from 1984 to 1987 and this is probably due to air pollution.
Kilburn
K H
KH
Environmental Sciences Laboratory, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033.
Warshaw
R H
RH
Thornton
J C
JC
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*
D000393:Air Pollutants