Chronic exposure to outdoor air pollution and lung function in adults.
BACKGROUND
The extent to which chronic exposure to outdoor air pollutants influences lung function in adults is unclear. The aim of this study was to measure the association between chronic exposure to outdoor air pollutants and adult lung function.


METHODS
The relationship between measures of lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) and FEV(1) as a percentage of forced vital capacity (FVC)) and average exposure to particulate matter <10 microm in diameter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and ozone was examined in four representative cross-sectional surveys of the English population aged > or =16 in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2001. Year-specific estimates were pooled using fixed effects meta-analysis.


RESULTS
Greater exposure to particulate matter <10 microm in diameter, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide was associated with lower adult FEV(1). The size of the effect on population mean FEV(1) was about 3% for particulate matter <10 microm, and 0.7% for nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, for a 10 microg/m(3) increase in pollutant concentration. The effects were most marked in men, older adults and ex-smokers. FEV(1) was not associated with ozone concentration. No associations were found between the pollutants and FEV(1) as a percentage of FVC.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic exposure to outdoor air pollution is associated with modestly reduced FEV(1) in adults.
Division of Community Health Sciences, St George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, UK. lindsay.forbes@iop.kcl.ac.uk
L J L
LJ
Forbes
V
V
Kapetanakis
A R
AR
Rudnicka
D G
DG
Cook
T
T
Bush
J R
JR
Stedman
P H
PH
Whincup
D P
DP
Strachan
H R
HR
Anderson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide