Impact of environmental exposure on respiratory tract in school children

Background: environmental pollution, mostly in urban area, represents an increasing burden in human health (WHO, Global update 2005). However, the effects of pollutants on the respiratory impedance are not well known, especially in childhood and adolescence. Aim: to investigate the impact of environmental exposure on the respiratory function in school-aged children. Methods: 175 children (from 7 to 19 years) underwent to spirometry and impedance measurement by using forced oscillation technique (FOT, Resmon PRO FULL, Restech, Italy). Total respiratory resistance at 5 Hz (R tot5 ), total respiratory reactance at 5 Hz (X tot5 ) and FEV 1 /FVC% were compared to the level of exposure to pollutants, reported by patients through questionnaire and measured through a urinary biomarker of tobacco smoke exposure (cotinine). The relative risk (OR) of abnormal R tot5 , X tot5 and FEV 1 /FVC% have been computed by means of logistic regression analysis for the level of exposure to pollutants (table). Results: both spirometry and FOT parameters revealed a risk of impairment of the respiratory function in active smokers. Furthermore, FOT parameters demonstrated a reduction of the respiratory function also in children exposed to passive smoking and high traffic. Conclusions: high traffic exposure and active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke can reduce the respiratory function in childhood.