Correlations of asthma mortality with traffic-related factors: use of catalytic converters and radial tires.
OBJECTIVE
: The objective of this study was to test the hypotheses that the post-1970 rise in asthma mortality in industrialized nations was related to introduction of catalytic converters and/or radial tires.


METHODS
: Annual asthma mortality data were plotted on linear coordinates for fraction of automobile fleet with converters or radial tires in Canada, Germany, Japan, and the United States.


RESULTS
: Catalytic converter association could not account for asthma mortality that rose in Germany before general adoption of the technology there. Radial tire use was, however, linearly correlated with asthma mortality in all four countries.


CONCLUSIONS
: Rising exposure to materials related to radial tire use may account for a substantial fraction of increased asthma mortality risk since approximately 1970.
Dorsey
Thomas F
TF
Biological Engineering Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Lafleur
Arthur L
AL
Kumata
Hidetoshi
H
Takada
Hideshige
H
Herrero-Jimenez
Pablo
P
Thilly
William G
WG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000401:mortality*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016014:Linear Models; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D000393:Air Pollutants