title: Repeated exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and asthma: effect of seroatopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), can induce asthma. However, the effects of early repeated PAH exposure over time on different asthma phenotypes have not been examined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess associations between repeated PAH exposure, measured from prenatal personal and residential indoor monitors in children's homes, and asthma in an inner-city cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prenatal exposure was assessed by personal air monitoring during 48 hours and exposure at 5 to 6 years of age by 2-week residential monitoring in the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health cohort. PAH was dichotomized into pyrene (representative semivolatile PAH) and the sum of 8 nonvolatile PAHs. High exposure to each was defined as measures above the median at both repeated time points. Asthma and wheeze were determined by validated questionnaires at ages 5 to 6 years. Children with specific IgE levels greater than 0.35 IU/mL to any of 5 indoor allergens were considered seroatopic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among all 354 children, repeated high exposure to pyrene was associated with asthma (odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-3.20). Among 242 nonatopic children, but not those sensitized to indoor allergens (n = 87) or with elevated total IgE levels (n = 171), high pyrene levels were associated positively with asthma (OR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.77-5.69), asthma medication use (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.13-4.59), and emergency department visits for asthma (OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.20-4.91). Associations between the levels of the 8 nonvolatile PAHs and asthma were not observed, even when stratifying by seroatopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nonatopic children may be more susceptible to the respiratory consequences of early pyrene exposures.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care of Medicine, Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Kyung Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Beizhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moors
authors.forename: Steven N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Chillrud
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Perzanowski
authors.forename: Robin M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Whyatt
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hoepner
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Bingzhi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Camann
authors.forename: Patrick L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Kinney
authors.forename: Frederica P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D007073:Immunoglobulin E