Traffic-related particulate matter and acute respiratory symptoms among New York City area adolescents.
BACKGROUND
Exposure to traffic-related particulate matter (PM) has been associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes in children. Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) are a local driver of urban fine PM [aerodynamic diameter < or = 2.5 microm (PM(2.5))]; however, evidence linking ambient DEP exposure to acute respiratory symptoms is relatively sparse, and susceptibilities of urban and asthmatic children are inadequately characterized.


OBJECTIVE
We examined associations of daily ambient black carbon (BC) concentrations, a DEP indicator, with daily respiratory symptoms among asthmatic and nonasthmatic adolescents in New York City (NYC) and a nearby suburban community.


METHODS
BC and PM(2.5) were monitored continuously outside three NYC high schools and one suburban high school for 4-6 weeks, and daily symptom data were obtained from 249 subjects (57 asthmatics, 192 nonasthmatics) using diaries. Associations between pollutants and symptoms were characterized using multilevel generalized linear mixed models, and modification by urban residence and asthma status were examined.


RESULTS
Increases in BC were associated with increased wheeze, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Multiple lags of nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) exposure were associated with symptoms. For several symptoms, associations with BC and NO(2) were significantly larger in magnitude among urban subjects and asthmatics compared with suburban subjects and nonasthmatics, respectively. PM(2.5) was not consistently associated with increases in symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Acute exposures to traffic-related pollutants such as DEPs and/or NO(2) may contribute to increased respiratory morbidity among adolescents, and urban residents and asthmatics may be at increased risk. The findings provide support for developing additional strategies to reduce diesel emissions further, especially in populations susceptible because of environment or underlying respiratory disease.
Patel
Molini M
MM
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
Chillrud
Steven N
SN
Correa
Juan C
JC
Hazi
Yair
Y
Feinberg
Marian
M
Kc
Deepti
D
Prakash
Swati
S
Ross
James M
JM
Levy
Diane
D
Kinney
Patrick L
PL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity*; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D052638:Particulate Matter
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