title: School Environmental Intervention to Reduce Particulate Pollutant Exposures for Children with Asthma.
abstract: Home-based interventions to improve indoor air quality have demonstrated benefits for asthma morbidity, yet little is known about the effect of environmental interventions in the school setting.
  
  
  
  We piloted the feasibility and effectiveness of a classroom-based air cleaner intervention to reduce particulate pollutants in classrooms of children with asthma.
  
  
  
  In this pilot randomized controlled trial, we assessed the effect of air cleaners on indoor air particulate pollutant concentrations in 18 classrooms (9 control, 9 intervention) in 3 urban elementary schools. We enrolled 25 children with asthma (13 control, 12 intervention) aged 6 to 10 years. Classroom air pollutant measurements and spirometry were completed once before and twice after randomization. Asthma symptoms were surveyed every 3 months.
  
  
  
  Baseline classroom levels of fine particulate matter (particulate matter with diameter of <2.5 μm [PM2.5]) and black carbon (BC) were 6.3 and 0.41 μg/m3, respectively. When comparing the intervention to the control group, classroom PM2.5levels were reduced by 49% and 42% and BC levels were reduced by 58% and 55% in the first and second follow-up periods, respectively (P < .05 for all comparisons). When comparing the children randomized to intervention and control classrooms, there was a modest improvement in peak flow, but no significant changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and asthma symptoms.
  
  
  
  In this pilot study, a classroom-based air cleaner intervention led to significant reductions in PM2.5and BC. Future large-scale studies should comprehensively evaluate the effect of school-based environmental interventions on pediatric asthma morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Iny
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jhun
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of Respiratory Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gaffin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Brent A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Coull
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Michelle F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Huffaker
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Carter R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Sheehan
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Sachin N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Baxi
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Peggy S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Choong-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Jack M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wolfson
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Diane R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koutrakis
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass. Electronic address: wanda.phipatanakul@childrens.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Phipatanakul
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D061345:Early Medical Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012574:Schools; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Air cleaner; Asthma; Environmental intervention; Indoor air quality