Acute Respiratory Diseases and Carboxyhemoglobin Status in School Children of Quito, Ecuador
- 1 May 2005
- journal article
- Published by Environmental Health Perspectives in Environmental Health Perspectives
- Vol. 113 (5), 607-611
- https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.7494
Abstract
Outdoor carbon monoxide comes mainly from vehicular emissions, and high concentrations occur in areas with heavy traffic congestion. CO binds to hemoglobin, forming carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), and reduces oxygen delivery. We investigated the link between the adverse effects of CO on the respiratory system using COHb as a marker for chronic CO exposure. We examined the relationship between acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and COHb concentrations in school-age children living in urban and suburban areas of Quito, Ecuador. We selected three schools located in areas with different traffic intensities and enrolled 960 children. To adjust for potential confounders we conducted a detailed survey. In a random subsample of 295 children, we determined that average COHb concentrations were significantly higher in children attending schools in areas with high and moderate traffic, compared with the low-traffic area. The percentage of children with COHb concentrations above the safe level of 2.5% were 1, 43, and 92% in low-, moderate-, and high-traffic areas, respectively. Children with COHb above the safe level are 3.25 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.65–6.38] times more likely to have ARI than children with COHb < 2.5%. Furthermore, with each percent increase in COHb above the safety level, children are 1.15 (95% CI, 1.03–1.28) times more likely to have an additional case of ARI. Our findings provide strong evidence of the relation between CO exposure and susceptibility to respiratory infections.Keywords
This publication has 34 references indexed in Scilit:
- RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLCHILDREN LIVING NEAR A FREEWAY IN TAIWANJournal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 2002
- Effects of air pollution on general practitioner consultations for upper respiratory diseases in London * CommentaryOccupational and Environmental Medicine, 2002
- BIOLOGICAL PLAUSIBILITY FOR CARBON MONOXIDE AS A COPOLLUTANT IN PM EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIESInhalation Toxicology, 2000
- Motor Vehicle Exhaust and Chronic Respiratory Symptoms in Children Living near FreewaysEnvironmental Research, 1997
- Associations between Respiratory Illness and PM10Air PollutionArchives of environmental health, 1997
- Perceived traffic air pollution, associated behavior and health in an alpine areaScience of The Total Environment, 1995
- Road traffic and adverse effects on respiratory health in children.BMJ, 1993
- Blood Carboxyhaemoglobin Levels in Indian Bidi and Cigarette SmokersRespiration, 1991
- Lymphocytic infiltration and cytotoxicity under hypoxic conditions in the EMT6 mouse mammary tumorInternational Journal of Cancer, 1990
- The effects of air pollution on the respiratory health of children: A cross‐sectional studyPediatric Pulmonology, 1985