Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are major components of particulate matters air pollutants (PM10 and PM2.5) and can worsen allergic asthma. Our study was conducted to evaluate which subgroup of asthmatics is more susceptible to the exposure of PAHs in terms of accelerating lung function decline.
291 asthmatics were followed between 2015 and 2017. Particles were sampled twice a month over a 72h period each for measurement of PAH. A new hourly grid-scale model was constructed by multivariate linear regression (MLR) for PM2.5-PAH concentration simulation and a Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping approach with ordinary kriging (OK) interpolation method to calculate the annual exposure of PAH for each subject. Pearson’s correlation with multiple stepwise regression model and Kendall-Theil Sen Siegel were appiled.
Both age and annual concentration of PAHs (ng/m3) were independent factors associated with the annual decline of FEV1. In the subgroup of FEV1 < 60%, the annual decline of FEV1 was highly correlated to the annual concentration of PAHs (p=0.01), while the correlation between annual concentration of PAHs and yearly decline of FEV1 was significant in patients with FEV1≥ 60% and poor compliance (p<0.002) than those with good compliance. Asthmatics with atopy had a strong association between yearly decline of FEV1 and the annual exposure to PAHs (p=0.008).
Long-term exposure to high concentrations of PAHs is associated with accelerated lung function decline in patients with asthma. Asthmatics with impaired lung function, atopy and those with better lung function but poor compliance appear to be more susceptible to PAHs exposure.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 1989.
This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2020