Ultrafine particles in urban air and respiratory health among adult asthmatics.
2001
Airborne particles are associated with adverse health effects and contribute
to excess mortality in epidemiological studies. A recent hypothesis proposes
that the high numbers of ultrafine (<0.1 μm diameter)
particles in ambient air might provoke alveolar inflammation and subsequently
cause exacerbations in pre-existing cardiopulmonary diseases. To test the hypothesis adult asthmatics were followed with daily peak expiratory
flow (PEF) measurements and symptom and medication diaries for six
months, while simultaneously monitoring particulate pollution in ambient air.
The associations between daily health endpoints of 57 asthmatics and indicators
of air pollution were examined by multivariate regression models. Daily mean number concentration of particles, but not particle mass (PM 10 (particle mass 2.5–10 , PM 2.5 , PM 1 ), was negatively associated
with daily PEF deviations. The strongest effects were seen for particles in
the ultrafine range. However, the effect of ultrafine particles could not
definitely be separated from other traffic generated pollutants, namely nitric
oxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. No associations were observed
with respiratory symptoms or medication use. Particle mass measurements can be strongly influenced by mechanically produced,
soil-derived particles, which may not be associated with adverse health
effects. Therefore, air quality monitoring should include particle number
concentrations, which mainly reflect ultrafine particles.
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