The status of the respiratory organs in students in Sabac exposed to increased air pollution

: The authors followed up the health of 322 elementary-school pupils at Sabac who were exposed to increased air pollution with chemical agents (ammonia, fluor hydrogen, chloracetic acid, sulfur dioxide, soot). The mean annual concentration of these gases were above or insignificantly under maximally permitted values. The results of the examination were as follows: recurrent cough in 12.4 per cent of cases and clinical signs of chronic or obstructive bronchitis in 8.4 per cent of children. Values of vital capacity were under normal in 27.6 per cent of cases and almost in the half of children vital capacity was at the lower normal limit. FEV1/FVC was under normal in 15 per cent of cases and at the lower normal limit in about 18.6 per cent of children. In spite of a great number of children with positive cutaneous tests to inhalation allergens with Prick's method IgE was within normal limits in these children. Thus, a significant noxious effect of allergic components on respiratory organs should be excluded. This was also confirmed by spirometric measurements of the two subsequent maximal expiriums when differences of +/- 3% were registered. However, in children with allergic bronchitis the value dispersion was by 2-3 times greater. Consequently, the authors concluded that damaged respiratory organs in children at Sabac appeared in a greater number of cases than in other places and that these damages were due to increased concentrations of different chemical air pollution agents.