Relation of exposure to airway irritants in infancy to prevalence of bronchial hyper-responsiveness in schoolchildren.
To find out whether exposure to sulphur dioxide during infancy is related to the prevalence of bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR), we studied schoolchildren (aged 7-13 years) from two areas of Norway--a valley containing a sulphur-dioxide-emitting aluminium smelter and a similar but non-industrialised valley. Bronchial responsiveness was assessed in 529 of the 620 participants. The median exposures to sulphur dioxide and fluoride were 37.1 micrograms/m3 and 4.4 micrograms/m3 at ages 0-12 months and 37.9 micrograms/m3 and 4.4 micrograms/m3 at 13-36 months. The risk of BHR increased with exposure to sulphur dioxide and fluoride at these ages; the odds ratio for a 10 micrograms/m3 increase in sulphur dioxide exposure at 0-12 months was 1.62 (95% CI 1.11-2.35) and that for a 1 microgram/m3 increase in fluoride exposure was 1.35 (1.07-1.70) at 0-12 months and 1.38 (1.05-1.82) at 13-36 months. Exposure to these low concentrations of airway irritants during early childhood is associated with an increased prevalence of BHR in schoolchildren.
Søyseth
V
V
Hydro Aluminium Ardal, Norway.
Kongerud
J
J
Haarr
D
D
Strand
O
O
Bolle
R
R
Boe
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D005459:Fluorides