title: Ambient air pollution exposure and incident adult asthma in a nationwide cohort of U.S. women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited prior data suggest an association between traffic-related air pollution and incident asthma in adults. No published studies assess the effect of long-term exposures to particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) on adult incident asthma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the association between ambient air pollution exposures (PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide, NO2) and development of asthma and incident respiratory symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Sister Study is a U.S. cohort study of risk factors for breast cancer and other health outcomes (n = 50,884) in sisters of women with breast cancer (enrollment, 2003-2009). Annual average (2006) ambient PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations were estimated at participants' addresses, using a national land-use/kriging model incorporating roadway information. Outcomes at follow-up (2008-2012) included incident self-reported wheeze, chronic cough, and doctor-diagnosed asthma in women without baseline symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusted analyses included 254 incident cases of asthma, 1,023 of wheeze, and 1,559 of chronic cough. For an interquartile range (IQR) difference (3.6 μg/m(3)) in estimated PM2.5 exposure, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 1.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.99-1.46, P = 0.063) for incident asthma and 1.14 (95% CI = 1.04-1.26, P = 0.008) for incident wheeze. For NO2, there was evidence for an association with incident wheeze (aOR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.00-1.17, P = 0.048 per IQR of 5.8 ppb). Neither pollutant was significantly associated with incident cough (PM2.5: aOR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.88-1.03, P = 0.194; NO2: aOR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.93-1.07, P = 0.939).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that PM2.5 exposure increases the risk of developing asthma and that PM2.5 and NO2 increase the risk of developing wheeze, the cardinal symptom of asthma, in adult women.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Dale P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Sandler
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: DeRoo
authors.forename: Sverre
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vedal
authors.forename: Joel D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: London
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide
keywords: NO2; PM2.5; asthma incidence; nitrogen dioxide; particulate matter