title: Association between pulmonary function and daily levels of sand dust particles assessed by light detection and ranging in schoolchildren in western Japan: A panel study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An important aspect of sand dust emissions in association with respiratory disorders is the quantity of particulate matter. This is usually expressed as particulate matter less than 10 μm (PM10) and 2.5 μm (PM2.5). However, the composition of PM10 and PM2.5 varies. Light detection and ranging is used to monitor sand dust particles originating in East Asian deserts and distinguish them from air pollution aerosols. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the daily levels of sand dust particles and pulmonary function in schoolchildren in western Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this panel study, the peak expiratory flow (PEF) of 399 schoolchildren was measured daily from April to May 2012. A linear mixed model was used to estimate the association of PEF with the daily levels of sand dust particles, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and PM2.5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no association between the daily level of sand dust particles and air pollution aerosols, while both sand dust particles and air pollution aerosols had a significant association with SPM and PM2.5. An increment of 0.018 km(-1) in sand dust particles was significantly associated with a decrease in PEF (-3.62 L/min; 95% confidence interval, -4.66 to -2.59). An increase of 14.0 μg/m(3) in SPM and 10.7 μg/m(3) in PM2.5 led to a significant decrease of -2.16 L/min (-2.88 to -1.43) and -2.58 L/min (-3.59 to -1.57), respectively, in PEF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that exposure to sand dust emission may relate to pulmonary dysfunction in children in East Asia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Tottori, Japan. Electronic address: watanabm@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masanari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Data Science, The Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noma
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Tottori, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kurai
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, San-in Rosai Hospital, Tottori, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Matsue City Hospital, Shimane, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tatsukawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Matsue Red Cross Hospital, Shimane, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Tottori, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Tottori, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D052638:Particulate Matter; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Light detection and ranging; Pulmonary function; Sand dust emission; Sand dust particles; Schoolchildren