title: Fungus spores, air pollutants, and other determinants of peak expiratory flow rate in children.
abstract: The impact of summertime haze episodes on daily variations in symptoms and peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs) was examined in a study of 108 children living in State College, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1991. Twice daily, each child recorded symptoms, PEFRs and hours spent outdoors. Environmental measurements included daily 12- and 24-hour averages for meteorologic and air pollutant variables and 24-hour average fungus spore concentrations. A 10,000-spore/m3 increment in Cladosporium spore concentration was associated with a deficit in morning PEFR (-1.0 liters/minute, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.9 to -0.2). A 60-spore/m3 increment in Epicoccum spore concentration was associated with increased incidence of morning cough (odds ratio (OR) = 1.8, 95% CI 1.0-3.2) and a deficit in morning PEFR (-1.5 liters/minute, 95% CI -2.8 to -0.2). Fungi spore counts were not associated with respirable particle mass. A 125-nmol/m3 increment in 12-hour daytime particle-strong acidity was associated with a deficit in evening PEFR (-0.5 liters/minute, 95% CI -1.2 to 0.2) and increased incidence of cold episodes that evening or the subsequent morning (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.14-1.61). A 20-microgram/m3 increment in 24-hour respirable particles lagged by 24 hours was associated with a deficit in evening PEFR (-0.5 liters/minute 95% CI -1.4 to 0.4) and increased incidence of cough episodes that evening or the subsequent morning (OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.13-1.66). These results confirm the acute effects of summertime particulate air pollution and suggest that aeroallergens have independent effects on respiratory symptoms and PEFR in children.
authors.affiliation: Envirnomental Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Neas
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Dockery
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burge
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koutrakis
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Speizer
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008685:Meteorological Concepts; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011058:Pollen / Q000737:chemistry; D012621:Seasons; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants