Update on asthma and air pollution research in inner cities
The health impact of current ambient levels of particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O(3)) remains controversial. Exposure to both ambient O(3) and airborne PM has been shown to be related to short-term lung function deficits in children, a correlation that is greater among children with symptoms of asthma than among asymptomatic children. Day-to-day fluctuations in airborne PM also appear to be related to mortality and hospitalizations among the elderly. Despite these and other data suggesting that current ambient levels of O(3) and PM are associated with adverse health effects, there is an ongoing debate about the magnitude and clinical importance of the health effects of exposure to these pollutants.