Self-reported truck traffic on the street of residence and symptoms of asthma and allergic disease: a global relationship in ISAAC phase 3.
BACKGROUND
Associations between traffic pollution on the street of residence and a range of respiratory and allergic outcomes in children have been reported in developed countries, but little is known about such associations in developing countries.


METHODS
The third phase of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was carried out in 13- to 14-year-old and 6- to 7-year-old children across the world. A question about frequency of truck traffic on the street of residence was included in an additional questionnaire. We investigated the association between self-reported truck traffic on the street of residence and symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema with logistic regression. Adjustments were made for sex, region of the world, language, gross national income, and 10 other subject-specific covariates.


RESULTS
Frequency of truck traffic on the street of residence was positively associated with the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema with an exposure-response relationship. Odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for "current wheeze" and "almost the whole day" versus "never" truck traffic were 1.35 (1.23-1.49) for 13- to 14-year-olds and 1.35 (1.22-1.48) for 6- to 7-year-olds.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher exposure to self-reported truck traffic on the street of residence is associated with increased reports of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in many locations in the world. These findings require further investigation in view of increasing exposure of the world's children to traffic.
Brunekreef
Bert
B
Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences and Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. b.brunekreef@uu.nl
Stewart
Alistair W
AW
Anderson
H Ross
HR
Lai
Christopher K W
CK
Strachan
David P
DP
Pearce
Neil
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions