Air pollution exposure and lung function until age 16: the PIAMA birth cohort study

Abstract

Evidence for effects of air pollution exposure on lung function growth into adolescence is scarce. We investigated associations of air pollution exposure with lung function and lung function growth until age 16.

We conducted longitudinal (N=915) and cross-sectional analyses (N=721) of associations of air pollution exposure with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) growth from ages 8 to 16 and FEV₁ and FVC at age 16. We estimated residential concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), “soot”, and particulate matter with diameters <2.5 (PM_2.5), <10 (PM₁₀), and 2.5–10 µm (PM_coarse) during the preschool, primary school and secondary school time windows by land use regression models and analysed associations with (growth in) FEV₁ and FVC by linear (mixed effects) regression.

Higher air pollution exposure was associated with reduced FEV₁ growth, [e.g. adjusted difference (95% confidence interval) −0.26% (−0.49 to −0.03%) per interquartile range increase in secondary school PM_2.5] and lower FEV₁ [−2.36% (−3.76 to −0.94%)], but was not adversely associated with FVC. Associations with FEV₁ were stronger in boys than girls and were not modified by asthma status.

Higher air pollution exposure may lead to increased airway obstruction, but not reduced lung volume in adolescence.