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Motor vehicle air pollution and asthma in children: a meta-analysis

Janvier Gasana1, Deepa Dillikar, Angelico Mendy

  • 1South Florida Asthma Consortium, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA. janvier.gasana@gmail.com

Environmental Research
|June 12, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Motor vehicle emissions are linked to increased childhood asthma and wheeze. Proximity to busy roads exposes children to pollutants, raising the incidence and prevalence of these respiratory conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Respiratory Medicine
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Asthma affects over 17 million Americans, with one-third being children.
  • Children are more susceptible to air pollution due to narrower airways and higher breathing rates.
  • Previous studies on traffic emissions and childhood asthma have yielded conflicting results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the relationship between motor vehicle emissions and the development of childhood wheeze and asthma.
  • To conduct a meta-analysis to consolidate existing research findings.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic literature search was conducted across MEDLINE, Highwire, and The Cochrane Library.
  • Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted from 19 relevant studies.
  • Summary effect estimates (meta-OR) were calculated using STATA 11.1.

Main Results:

  • Exposure to nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide, and carbon monoxide showed a positive association with childhood asthma prevalence.
  • Sulfur dioxide exposure was linked to a higher prevalence of childhood wheeze.
  • Nitrogen dioxide exposure was associated with increased childhood asthma incidence, while particulate matter was linked to increased wheeze incidence.

Conclusions:

  • Living or attending school near high-traffic areas increases children's exposure to motor vehicle air pollutants.
  • This exposure is associated with a higher incidence and prevalence of childhood asthma and wheeze.
Abstract

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