title: Association of carbon monoxide levels with allergic diseases in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Air pollution is regarded as a potential reason for the development or aggravation of allergic diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between exposure to outdoor air pollution during the first year of life and the development of allergic diseases, and to determine the association between outdoor air pollution near the residence and recent symptoms of allergic diseases in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted in 6- to 7-year-old children. Among them, subjects who had been born (n = 1828) or lived (n = 1894) within 2 km of the nearest air quality monitoring sites were selected. The prevalence of allergic diseases was assessed by using questionnaires. Each subject was examined by pediatricians to determine the presence of eczema. Publicly available data were used regarding the daily ambient concentrations of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For a 100 ppb increase in the mean daily CO level during the first year of life, the adjusted odds ratio for lifetime allergic rhinitis was 1.10 (95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.19). For a 1 ppm increase in the annual average CO level during the past 12 months, the adjusted odds ratio for the presence of atopic dermatitis on the day of the survey was 8.11 (95% confidence interval, 1.06-62.12). However, the other air pollutants showed no statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher exposure to CO during infancy increased the risk of development of allergic rhinitis. The risk of current atopic dermatitis symptoms increased in children who were exposed to higher CO levels during the past 12 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jihyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Youngshin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Sung Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jaehee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kwang Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sook-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Eun-Hye
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ho-Jang
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Hae Kwan
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Inbo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Kangmo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahn
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000393:Air Pollutants; D000397:Air Pollution; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D002248:Carbon Monoxide