The self-reported density of truck traffic on residential streets and the impact on asthma, hay fever and eczema in young adolescents.
BACKGROUND
Conflicting results have been reported, mostly in developed countries, on the relationship between exposure to traffic and allergic diseases. This study aims to examine the impact of truck traffic on asthma, rhinitis and eczema in early adolescence in Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, as a developing country with a lower middle rate of high truck traffic exposure and low prevalence rates of allergic diseases.


METHODS
Self-reported data was used, obtained through the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase 3 written questionnaires, from 3026 adolescents aged 13-14 years from Skopje. Truck traffic density on the street of residence on weekdays was correlated to current and ever-diagnosed asthma, rhinitis and eczema by odds ratios (OR, 95% CI) in binary logistic regression, with and without adjustments for potential confounding factors separately and for their joint effect.


RESULTS
A positive association of truck traffic density appeared to be limited to current dry night cough (aOR: 1.63; 1.07-2.47; aOR: 2.17; 1.40-3.35; and aOR: 2.33; 1.43-3.79 for truck traffic seldom, frequently through the day, and almost the whole day, respectively) with an exposure-response relationship and to current wheeze only for truck traffic almost the whole day (aOR: 1.87; 1.02-3.42).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest an aggravating effect of truck traffic on current asthma symptoms, but not on asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema diagnoses. It seems that it probably has an impact as a direct respiratory irritant in early adolescence.
Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Children's Clinic, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia. Electronic address: vlaskie@sonet.com.mk.
E
E
Vlaski
Department of Immunology, University Children's Clinic, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia.
K
K
Stavric
Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Children's Clinic, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia.
L
L
Seckova
Intensive Care Unit, University Children's Clinic, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia.
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M
Kimovska Hristova
Institute of Epidemiology with Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia.
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R
Isjanovska
D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000276:immunology; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D011058:Pollen / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D018843:Republic of North Macedonia; D057566:Self Report; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
Adolescence; Asthma; Eczema; ISAAC; Rhinitis; Truck traffic