Abstract
Background
Respiratory disease caused by air pollution (measured using PM 2.5) is a growing public
health issue in many parts of the world. In Japan, air quality deteriorated markedly during the country's period of rapid economic growth, increasing the prevalence of pulmonary morbidity.
While air quality has since improved, there remain many pollution victims who were also smokers. It is unclear, however, how air pollution and tobacco use together influence respiratory function and morbidity.
Aims and objectives
This retrospective cross-sectional study sought to elucidate how tobacco use affected pollution victims with and without obstructive ventilatory defects over a 30-year period.
Methods
We selected 730 individuals over 65 years of age previously diagnosed with pollution-related respiratory disease residing in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture. Participants were classified
into four groups according to their smoking status and whether or not they had an obstructive impairment. We then compared prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function over time between groups.
Results
Rates of tobacco use and respiratory disease were high in our sample. While respiratory
function in non-smoking participants did not completely recover, the annual of rate change in lung function was within the normal range. However, tobacco users presented worse lung function and were more likely to report pulmonary symptom.(P<0.01)
Conclusions
Participants' respiratory function did not fully recover despite improved air quality. Our results suggest that tobacco use in the context of overexposure to PM 2.5 results in additional loss of lung function and exacerbates respiratory symptoms.
- © 2014 ERS