title: Relationship between household air pollution from biomass smoke exposure, and pulmonary dysfunction, oxidant-antioxidant imbalance and systemic inflammation in rural women and children in Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exposure to particulate matter from burning biomass fuels is believed to affect oxidant-antioxidant balance and to induce oxidative stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine mother-child pairs from 59 households that used firewood exclusively for cooking in three rural communities in southwest Nigeria underwent blood test for albumin, pre-albumin, retinol-binding protein (RBP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), vitamins C, vitamin E, malondialdehyde (MDA) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Spirometry was performed and indoor levels of PM2.5 were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age (± SD; years) of mothers and children was 43.0±11.7 and 13.6±3.2, respectively. The median indoor PM2.5 level was 1575.1 µg/m3 (IQR 943.6--2847.0, p<0.001), which is substantially higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of 25 µg/m3. The mean levels of pre-albumin (0.21±0.14 g/dL) and RBP (0.03±0.03 g/dL) in women were significantly lower than their respective normal ranges (1-3 g/dL and 0.2-0.6 g/dL, respectively, p<0.05). Similarly, the mean levels of pre-albumin (0.19±0.13 g/dL) and RBP (0.01±0.01 g/dL) in children were significantly lower than the respective normal ranges (1-3 g/dL and 0.2-0.6 g/dL, respectively, p<0.05). Mean serum concentrations of MDA in children (5.44±1.88 µmol/L) was positively correlated to serum concentrations of CRP (r=0.3, p=0.04) and negatively correlated to lung function (FEV1/FVC) in both mothers and children (both r=-0.3, p<0.05). Also, regression analysis indicates that CRP and SOD are associated with lung function impairment in mothers (-2.55±1.08, p<0.05) and children (-5.96±3.05, p=0.05) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to HAP from biomass fuel is associated with pulmonary dysfunction, reduced antioxidant defense and inflammation of the airways. Further studies are needed to better define causal relationships and the mechanisms involved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Oluwafemi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oluwole
authors.forename: Ganiyu Olatunbosun
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Arinola
authors.forename: Godson Rowland
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Ana
authors.forename: Tess
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wiskel
authors.forename: Dezheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: Olufunmilayo Ibironke
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Olopade
authors.forename: Christopher Olusola
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Olopade
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers; D002648:Child; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016877:Oxidants / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012424:Rural Population; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D016877:Oxidants; D012906:Smoke