[Particle pollution and allergies in children. What relationships are found in epidemiological studies?]

Particles in the air influence mortality and morbidity even in concentrations which were considered harmless. This report examines their role in allergies. Studies on children from areas with different degrees of pollution show that the "classical" type of air pollution with high amounts of coarse particles apparently does not induce allergies. Nearly all studies, which characterized exposure on a smaller spatial scale, found that symptoms of asthma and allergic rhinitis were more common in children exposed to traffic-related pollution. Time series and panel studies demonstrate that particle pollution contributes to asthma aggravation. Whether this applies to eczema or allergic rhinitis has hardly been investigated. Overall the studies suggest a special role for traffic-related particles.