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Published on: August 7, 2017
Chronic PM2.5 exposure and risk of infant bronchiolitis and otitis media clinical encounters
Mariam S Girguis1, Matthew J Strickland2, Xuefei Hu3
1Program in Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
Abstract:
Chronic particulate matter less than 2.5μm in diameter (PM2.5) exposure can leave infants more susceptible to illness. Our objective is to estimate associations of the chronic PM2.5 exposure with infant bronchiolitis and otitis media (OM) clinical encounters. We obtained all first time bronchiolitis (n=18,029) and OM (n=40,042) clinical encounters among children less than 12 and 36 months of age, respectively, diagnosed from 2001 to 2009 and two controls per case matched on birthdate and gestational age from the Pregnancy to Early Life Longitudinal data linkage system in Massachusetts. We applied conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) per 2-μg/m3 increase in lifetime average satellite based PM2.5 exposure. Effect modification was assessed by age, gestational age, frequency of clinical encounter, and income. We examined associations between residential distance to roadways, traffic density, and infant bronchiolitis and OM risk. PM2.5 was not associated with infant bronchiolitis (OR=1.02, 95% CI=1.00, 1.04) and inversely associated with OM (OR=0.97, 95% CI=0.95, 0.99). There was no evidence of effect modification. Compared to infants living near low traffic density, infants residing in high traffic density had elevated risk of bronchiolitis (OR=1.23, 95% CI=1.14, 1.31) but not OM (OR=0.98, 95% CI=0.93, 1.02) clinical encounter. We did not find strong evidence to support an association between early-life long-term PM2.5 exposure and infant bronchiolitis or OM. Bronchiolitis risk was increased among infants living near high traffic density.
Insights
Chronic exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was not linked to infant bronchiolitis or otitis media. However, infants near high traffic density showed increased bronchiolitis risk.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Epidemiology
- Air Pollution Research
Background:
- Infants exposed to chronic fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exhibit increased susceptibility to illness.
- Understanding the impact of PM2.5 on infant respiratory and ear infections is crucial for public health.
- Previous studies suggest potential links between air pollution and pediatric health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between chronic PM2.5 exposure and clinical encounters for infant bronchiolitis and otitis media (OM).
- To examine the role of residential proximity to roadways and traffic density in infant disease risk.
- To assess potential effect modification by age, gestational age, clinical encounter frequency, and income.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a case-control study design with clinical encounter data for bronchiolitis and OM in infants.
- Matched cases with controls based on birthdate and gestational age.
- Employed conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) for PM2.5 exposure and traffic density, adjusting for potential confounders.
Main Results:
- Chronic PM2.5 exposure showed no significant association with infant bronchiolitis (OR=1.02) or otitis media (OR=0.97).
- Infants residing in areas with high traffic density had a significantly elevated risk of bronchiolitis (OR=1.23) but not OM (OR=0.98).
- No significant effect modification was observed for age, gestational age, encounter frequency, or income.
Conclusions:
- Early-life long-term PM2.5 exposure does not appear to be a significant risk factor for infant bronchiolitis or OM.
- Living near high traffic density is associated with an increased risk of infant bronchiolitis.
- Further research may be needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms linking traffic-related air pollution to pediatric respiratory infections.
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