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November 16, 2008Traffic pollution worsens symptoms in asthmatic children |
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From EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Traffic pollution, especially in cities, adversely affects respiratory health in children with asthma. A study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Respiratory Research has found that in this vulnerable group, worsening of respiratory symptoms requiring recurrent additional treatment. A Mexican research team led by Dr Isabelle Romieu of the Institute Nacional de Sauld Publica, correlated pollutants associated with exacerbation of respiratory symptoms in asthmatic children. Earlier studies suggest that traffic pollution, and diesel particles in particular, may have a greater effect on respiratory health than other pollutants. Atmospheric levels of the pollutants ozone, nitrogen dioxide and diesel particles were recorded in Mexico City during the study. The amount and type of traffic in areas inhabited by the volunteers was also recorded in order to evaluate whether diesel-fuelled vehicles had a greater impact upon respiratory health than pollution from other vehicles. In asthmatic children, coughing, wheezing and medication usage was associated with increased levels of atmospheric pollutants. Small buses for public transport running on petrol/natural gas, and larger buses and trucks running on diesel, were more strongly associated with worsening of symptoms. Romieu points out that, all types of traffic exhaust have an adverse effect on children respiratory health and that given the proximity of many schools to roads with heavy traffic, "these results have significant implications for public health policy within cities in Mexico and the rest of the world". BioMed Central (http://www.biomedcentral.com/) is an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the open access publishing model.
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