PM10 and asthma medication in schoolchildren

Area of Science:

• Environmental health
• Pediatric respiratory health
• Air pollution epidemiology

Background:

• Asthma medication use in schoolchildren is a significant public health concern.
• Particulate matter (PM10) exposure is a suspected environmental trigger for respiratory symptoms.
• Previous studies have explored links between air pollution and asthma, but specific sources and exposure durations require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between ambient particulate matter (PM10) and the daily use of asthma medication among elementary schoolchildren.
• To identify the optimal time-lagged average of PM10 exposure that best correlates with asthma medication administration.

Main Methods:

• Utilized school nurse records from 12 elementary schools over 2.5 years to quantify daily oral and inhaled asthma medication doses.
• Employed time-series regression models, incorporating temperature, time trends, day of the week, and month as covariates.
• Analyzed lagged moving averages of PM10 (7, 14, 21, and 28 days) to assess exposure duration effects.

Main Results:

• Positive and statistically significant associations were observed between PM10 levels and asthma medication use across all tested time lags.
• The 21-day moving average of PM10 demonstrated the strongest statistical fit in the regression models.
• The primary source of PM10 in the study area was identified as coarse fraction material from road sanding and reentrained volcanic ash.

Conclusions:

• Exposure to PM10, particularly coarse fraction material from local sources, is associated with increased asthma medication requirements in schoolchildren.
• A 21-day exposure window appears critical for observing the impact of PM10 on pediatric asthma medication use.
• Findings highlight the need for targeted air quality interventions to mitigate asthma exacerbations in vulnerable child populations.