title: Ambient particulate matter and lung function growth in Chinese children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exposure to particulate matter (PM) has been associated with deficits in lung function growth among children in Western countries. However, few studies have explored this association in developing countries, where PM levels are often substantially higher.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (n = 3273) 6-12 years of age were recruited from 8 schools in 4 Chinese cities. The lung function parameters of forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) were measured using computerized spirometers twice a year for up to 3 years (1993-1996). Dichotomous samplers placed in each schoolyard were used to measure PM2.5 and PM10 (PM with diameter ≤ 2.5 μm and ≤ 10 μm, respectively). Multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between the quarterly average PM levels and lung function growth during the period of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Annual average PM2.5 and PM10 levels in the 4 cities ranged from 57 to 158 μg/m and 95 to 268 μg/m, respectively. In multivariable models, an increase of 10 μg/m of PM2.5 was associated with decreases of 2.7 mL FEV1 (95% confidence interval = -3.5 to -2.0), 3.5 mL FVC (-4.3 to -2.7), 1.4 mL/year FEV1 growth (-1.8 to -0.9), and 1.5 mL/year FVC growth (-2.0 to -1.0). Similar results were seen with PM10 exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to ambient particulate matter was associated with decreased growth in lung function among Chinese children.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Epidemiology and Statistics, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Ananya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Fusheng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Korn
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Junfeng Jim
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013147:Spirometry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter