[Asthma, indoor and outdoor air pollution: A pilot study in Lebanese school teenagers].

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Many studies have demonstrated that outdoor pollution might exacerbate respiratory symptoms and childhood asthma. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between asthma and outdoor and indoor pollution.

METHODS:

We undertook a survey in May-June 2012 about schoolchildren aged 12-19 years in six Lebanese schools. This combined the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) standardized questionnaire with other questions addressing outdoor and indoor exposure.

RESULTS:

Among 717 subjects (response rate 71.7%), 4.5% had physician-diagnosed asthma, 34.7% had probable asthma and 60.8% were asymptomatic. Exposure to indoor contaminants was positively associated to asthma. The risk for asthma was higher in those residing near heavy road traffic (ORa=4.30 [95% CI 1.45-12.71], P<0.05), those previously exposed to fire (ORa=1.84 [95% CI 1.01-3.36]), and those exposed to smog (ORa=4.15 [95% CI 1.42-12.12]). Airing the house in the morning or in case of indoor smoking had a protective effect against asthma.

CONCLUSION:

These results suggest that the risks of asthma or having respiratory symptoms are not only related to indoor pollution but also to outdoor pollution especially from road traffic.

• Authors: P Salameh, C Karaki, S Awada, S Rachidi, A Al Hajje, W Bawab, N Saleh, M Waked
• Journal: Revue des maladies respiratoires (Rev Mal Respir) Vol. 32 Issue 7 Pg. 692-704 (Sep 2015) ISSN: 1776-2588 [Electronic] France
• Vernacular Title: Asthme, pollutions intérieure et extérieure: étude pilote chez des adolescents libanais scolarisés.
• PMID: 26071127 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article, Observational Study)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Air Pollution (analysis, statistics & numerical data)
• Air Pollution, Indoor (analysis, statistics & numerical data)
• Asthma (epidemiology, pathology)
• Child
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Lebanon (epidemiology)
• Male
• Pilot Projects
• Schools (statistics & numerical data)
• Young Adult