Association of traffic air pollution and rhinitis quality of life in Peruvian children with asthma

<div><p>Background</p><p>Air pollution exposure may contribute to rhinoconjunctivitis morbidity in children with underlying airways disease. Prior studies have not assessed rhinoconjunctivitis-related quality of life (QOL) in children with asthma chronically exposed to air pollution.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Children ages 9–19 years with asthma from peri-urban Peru, self-reporting rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms (n = 484), were administered the Rhinoconjunctivitis QOL Questionnaire (RQLQ) at repeated intervals over one year, with scores dichotomized into bothered (>0) and not bothered (= 0). Individual weekly exposures to particulate matter<2.5μm (PM_2.5) and its black carbon (BC) component were estimated by inverse distance weighted methods. Generalized estimating equations, adjusting for covariates, estimated associations of PM_2.5 and BC with QOL.</p><p>Results</p><p>Participants were on average 13 years old, 55% female, and majority were atopic (77%). Mean (SD) PM_2.5 and BC concentrations were 21(3.2) μg/m3 and 4.4(1.5) μg/m3, respectively. In adjusted multi-pollutant models, each 10μg/m3 increase in PM_2.5 was associated with increased odds of worse rhinoconjunctivitis QOL (OR;[95% CI]: 1.83;[1.33,2.52]). A 10% increase in the BC proportion was associated with higher rhinitis burden (OR;[95% CI]: 1.80;[1.22,2.66]), while increases in the non-BC component of PM did not significantly impact rhinoconjunctivitis QOL. Associations were similar regardless of atopy.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Higher PM2.5 and BC exposure is associated with worse rhinitis QOL among asthmatic children.</p></div

Unadjusted and adjusted¹ single and multipollutant logistic regression analyses evaluating the association of PM_2.5 and black carbon with rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life in young children and adolescents residing in Pampas and Villa, Peru.

<p>Unadjusted and adjusted¹ single and multipollutant logistic regression analyses evaluating the association of PM_2.5 and black carbon with rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life in young children and adolescents residing in Pampas and Villa, Peru.</p

Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of asthmatic children overall and by site.

<p>Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of asthmatic children overall and by site.</p