[Features of traffic near houses and respiratory damage in children: the results of the SIDRIA (Italian Study on Respiratory Problems in Childhood and the Environment)].

: A survey was conducted between 1994 and 1995 in ten areas of northern and central Italy in a representative sample of 39,275 children in two age groups (6-7 and 13-14 years; response rate: 94.4%). Detailed information on respiratory health and on exposure to several risk factors, including traffic patterns near their residence, was collected through standardized questionnaires, filled in by parents (and also by subjects of 13-14 years). For children living in metropolitan areas, a clear association was found between a high flow of heavy vehicles near their residence and several respiratory conditions. Combining the current symptoms in mutually exclusive groups, a stronger association was detected for children reporting only bronchitic symptoms, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.44 (95% confidence interval: 1.17-1.78), whereas the OR for those reporting only asthma or wheeze was 1.10 (0.96-1.26). Weaker associations were found in relation to more generic traffic indicators and for children living in non-metropolitan areas.