Susceptibility to air pollution in elderly males and females.
It is important to know which individuals in the general population have increased susceptibility to air pollution. The aim of this study was to identify susceptible subgroups by studying airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR), high total immunoglobulin (Ig)E and sex. Diary data on lower and upper respiratory symptoms (LRS and URS, respectively), cough, and morning and evening peak expiratory flow (PEF) were collected in 327 elderly patients (50-70 yrs) for a period of 3 months. Acute effects of particulate matter with a diameter <10 microm, black smoke, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide on symptoms and PEF were estimated using logistic regression. In total, 48 (14.7%) subjects had AHR+/IgE+, 112 (34.3%) had AHR-/IgE+, 42 (12.8%) had AHR+/IgE- and 125 (38.2%) had AHR-/IgE-. In the AHR+/IgE+ group, each 10 microg x m(-3) increase in air pollution was associated with a significant increase in prevalence of URS (odds ratio ranging 1.03-1.19), cough (1.03-1.08) and fall in morning PEF (1.04-1.26). In the AHR+/IgE+ group, males responded predominantly with symptoms and females with a fall in morning PEF. In conclusion, elderly individuals with both airway hyperresponsiveness and high total immunoglobulin E are especially susceptible to air pollution. Identifying susceptible subgroups might enlarge insight into the actual mechanisms by which air pollution evokes specific modes of response.
Boezen
H M
HM
Section of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Groningen, room P1.131 AZG, Hanzeplein 1, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RD Groningen, The Netherlands. h.m.boezen@med.rug.nl
Vonk
J M
JM
van der Zee
S C
SC
Gerritsen
J
J
Hoek
G
G
Brunekreef
B
B
Schouten
J P
JP
Postma
D S
DS
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015984:Causality; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D007073:Immunoglobulin E