[The impact of the environment upon the respiratory tract]

OBJECTIVES: Air pollution has been a significant worldwide problem with repercussions in the respiratory tract, along the years. The main objectives of this review are to present results from studies on the harmful effects of allergens as well as of pollutants over the respiratory tract.METHOD: Published studies were analyzed in respect to each agent involved, either environmental pollutants or allergens.RESULTS: There has been a remarkable increase in the prevalence of asthma and allergies in Western countries children, during the last decades, which involves participation of many environmental factors. The house dust mites allergens followed by pet allergens have been classified as one of the most important causes of early sensitization, in genetically susceptible individuals. It became of utmost importance to determine the action of pollutants in the airways of asthmatic patients, once asthma is an inflammatory disease with an outstanding surge of inflammatory cells, affecting airway mucosal. Among the environmental agents, tobacco smoke, NO(2), O(3) and the CO are associated to the increase in morbidity, with specific harmfulness.CONCLUSION: There are evidences that the higher exposure to indoor allergens, to pollutants and irritants, associated to changes in diets, changes in the exposure pattern to infectious agents and the use of antibiotics are leading to an increase in respiratory diseases over the last 30 years.