title: Cough and environmental air pollution in China.
abstract: With fast-paced urbanization and increased energy consumption in rapidly industrialized modern China, the level of outdoor and indoor air pollution resulting from industrial and motor vehicle emissions has been increasing at an accelerated rate. Thus, there is a significant increase in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and decreased pulmonary function. Experimental exposure research and epidemiological studies have indicated that exposure to particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and environmental tobacco smoke have a harmful influence on development of respiratory diseases and are significantly associated with cough and wheeze. This review mainly discusses the effect of air pollutants on respiratory health, particularly with respect to cough, the links between air pollutants and microorganisms, and air pollutant sources. Particular attention is paid to studies in urban areas of China where the levels of ambient and indoor air pollution are significantly higher than World Health Organization recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases (Guangzhou Medical University) 151 Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China. Electronic address: qingling@gird.cn.
authors.forename: Qingling
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases (Guangzhou Medical University) 151 Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Minzhi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases (Guangzhou Medical University) 151 Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Kefang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases (Guangzhou Medical University) 151 Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Nanshan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Air pollutants; Cough; Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS); Microorganism; Particulate matter (PM)