title: Respiratory effects of the hebei spirit oil spill on children in taean, Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The oil spill from the Heibei Spirit in December 2007 contaminated the Yellow Coast of South Korea. We evaluated the respiratory effects of that spill on children who lived along the Yellow Coast.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 662 children living in the area exposed to the oil spill, 436 (65.9%) were enrolled as subjects. All subjects completed a modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. A health examination, including a skin prick test, pulmonary function test, and methacholine bronchial provocation test (MBPT), was administered. The children were assigned to two groups: those who lived close to the oil spill area and those who lived far from the oil spill area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The children who lived close to the oil spill area showed a significantly lower forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), an increased prevalence of 'asthma ever' (based on a questionnaire), and 'airway hyperresponsiveness' (based on the MBPT) than those who lived far from the oil spill area (FEV1; P=0.011, prevalence of 'asthma ever' based on a questionnaire; P=0.005, prevalence of 'airway hyperresponsiveness' based on the MBPT; P=0.001). The onset of wheezing after the oil spill was significantly higher in children who lived close to the oil spill area than in those who lived far from the oil spill area among the 'wheeze ever' group (P=0.002). In a multiple logistic regression analysis, male sex, family history of asthma, and residence near the oil spill area were significant risk factors for asthma (sex [male/female]: odds ratio [OR], 2.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-4.91; family history of asthma [No/Yes]: OR, 3.77; 95% CI, 1.83-7.75; exposure group [low/high]; OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.27-4.65).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that exposure to an oil spill is a risk factor for asthma in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pyeongtaek International Hospital, Pyeongtaek, Korea.
authors.forename: Suk-Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Kyung-Mook
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kun-Song
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sangchul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Woo-Chul
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Sahng-June
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Ik-Jin
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Su Ryeon
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Jong-Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: Young-Koo
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jee
keywords: Asthma; airway hyperresponsiveness; industrial oils; prevalence