title: Association between air pollution and lung function growth in southern California children: results from a second cohort.
abstract: A cohort of 1,678 Southern California children, enrolled as fourth graders in 1996, was followed for 4 years to determine whether the growth in lung function of the children was associated with their exposure to ambient air pollutants. These subjects comprised the second cohort of fourth grade children participating in the Children's Health Study. Significant deficits in lung function growth rate were associated with exposure to acid vapor, NO(2), particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microm (PM(2.5)), and elemental carbon. For example, the average annual growth rates of maximal midexpiratory flow and forced expiratory volume in 1 second were reduced by approximately 11% (p = 0.005) and 5% (p = 0.03), respectively, across the observed range of acid exposure. Exposure to acid vapor was also associated with reductions in the ratio of maximal midexpiratory flow to forced vital capacity (p = 0.02), whereas exposure to ozone was correlated with reduced growth in peak flow rate (p = 0.006). Larger deficits in lung function growth rate were observed in children who reported spending more time outdoors. These findings provide important replication of our previous findings of an effect of air pollution on lung function growth that were based on the first fourth-grade cohort from the Children's Health Study (Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2000;162:1383-1390).
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90033, USA. jimg@usc.edu
authors.forename: W James
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Gauderman
authors.forename: G Frank
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gilliland
authors.forename: Hita
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vora
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Avol
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stram
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McConnell
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lurmann
authors.forename: Helene G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Margolis
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Rappaport
authors.forename: Kiros
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berhane
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008168:Lung / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants